Cognitive Dissonance (Clarification)

I wasn't planning to post again until Monday.  And what I'd planned to post wasn't this. 

The impetus for this post was cozzmesteph's comment that she thought being able to simultaneously hold opposing views was a mark of intelligence.  And she's exactly right.  That made me realize that when I was writing my last post I was avoiding more 'textbook' examples of cognitive dissonance in order to provide personal examples.  But the personal examples I provided are not really 'textbook' cognitive dissonance.  I certainly have such personal examples, only they are, well, personal.  I already promised to share some, but I wasn't quite ready yet.  Nonetheless, my perfectionist tendencies won't allow my last post's muddled examples of cognitive dissonance to stand without elucidation.  So tonight I give elucidation.  On Monday I'll drive the point home with a wheelbarrow full of personal dirt that I think will quite nicely explore the psychological principles involved in moral paradigm shifts. 

About that elucidation now.  Cognitive dissonance generally is a principle that applies when both sides of a contradiction have concrete ramifications.  Thus, if you don't work in politics, hating both Obama and Fox News is not really an issue.  But if you're a Republican political activist, and all of your associates are encouraging you to push the latest set of Glenn Beck talking points, then you've got dissonance.  Chances are you'll come to love Glenn Beck and convince yourself that he's always been something more than an evil clown (is that redundant?).  You're not likely to tell your associates that you hate Obama, but you can't use Beck's talking points because you hate him worse.  Social pressure encourages accepting the party line, and then you convince yourself that you actually agree with the party line - cognitive dissonance reduced.

Switching gears, a real classic within Mormondom (is that a word?), is the situation of the faithful Mormon family producing a gay son.  By definition you've got dissonance here, as both devotion to religion and support of progeny are deeply meaningful principles with major impacts.  Rare is the Mormon parent that can love their gay son unconditionally while still adhering to the church line that homosexuality is abomination.  Something's gotta give - usually.  Some parents abandon a child.  Some abandon a faith.  Few will hold to both.

Is that more clear?  Of course, cognitive dissonance occurs in much more mundane circumstances as well.  You really want the large _____ (insert treat of choice), but you're on a diet.  More than likely you'll convince yourself that you've earned it, or that you'll work it off.  Most people will not say, "I'm eating this while recognizing that I am just making myself fatter to satisfy my craving."  Some people will - most won't.

What it comes down to is anxiety.  Is the contradiction introducing substantial anxiety?  If so, the anxiety is dissonance.  People naturally avoid anxiety, so one set of of beliefs gets changed to reduce the anxiety.  The belief that changes is generally the one that allows behavior to continue unchanged while protecting self esteem.  I have a lot of anxiety, which I don't actively try to reduce.  So I have a lot of dissonance. 

Okay, this post was dry.  I apologize.  It's after midnight on a Friday night.  I'll dish up something juicier on Monday.  To throw something in that's personal, I'll mention my therapy work with homosexuals.  My profession absolutely demands that I either accept their lifestyle, or not see them as a therapist.  Being a student in a training program where anything can result in negative evaluations, I see gay clients to avoid making waves.  At any given time I usually have at least two gay clients.  And I do support them 100% in their lifestyle - actively so.  In fact, I've had lengthy conversations with gay clients wherein I've given detailed suggestions about which sexual positions and techniques might enhance emotional intimacy with their partner.  You might say that working with gay clients is a specialty of mine, even within the domain of overtly sexual issues.  They walk away happy, and reinforced in their lifestyle.  I walk away with DISS-O-NANCE!