Contemporary Models Of Dissonance Essay

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The third element proposes that self-esteem differences will moderate the reduction of dissonance using either direct or indirect strategies. The dissonance process initiates when people performance a behaviour, which is then assessed against a meaningful standard of judgement. The dissonance arousal process is simply that people behave, then interpret and evaluate the act (Gosling, Denizeau, & Oberlé , 2006). This simple, yet effective process determines whether the behaviour is foolish or immoral (Cooper & Stone, 2001). Dissonance is aroused when behaviours differs between the actual self-concept and the normative self-guide (Aronson, Blanton, & Cooper, 1995). Self-expectancies establish whether a specific behaviour signifies a discrepancy, …show more content…

The difference between the competing models is the distinction of how they represent the actual self-attributions within the dimension of self-standard (Gosling, Denizeau, & Oberlé , 2006). The SSM combines elements from each theory, providing juxtapose between SSM and the other contemporary models (Cooper J. , 2007). The self-conception theory emphasises the central role of self-concept and demonstrates the flexibility of cognitive processes (Cooper, 1992). It postulates that dissonance occurs when behaviour is inconsistent with self-concept, this is strongest when the person freely chooses the behaviour which violated an element of the self-concept (Thibodeau & Aronson, 1992). The reduction of dissonance is assisted by self-affirmations allowing individuals to re-establish cognitions constant between self-discrepant behaviour and self-concept (Thibodeau & Aronson, 1992). SSM also assumes that individuals hold a positive self-concept (Croyle & Cooper, 1983). The difference between this model and SSM, is that SSM predicts that self-esteem effects