Assignment Task:
Provide an example of a time that you experienced cognitive dissonance. What were the conflicting cognitions (or the conflicting cognition and behavior)? Make sure to explain how/why they were inconsistent. How did you reduce the cognitive dissonance (i.e., how did you rationalize or justify to make your thoughts more consistent)? Last, with respect to the four contexts in which inconsistency between our core values/beliefs and our behavior should produce dissonance, indicate how/why your example conceptually aligns (or doesn't align) with each.
Example (not including the final question of prompt #2):
I experienced immense cognitive dissonance when I saw the gameplay trailer for Hogwarts Legacy (an upcoming video game based on the world of Harry Potter). I knew as soon as I finished watching it that I wanted to buy the game, even though I abhor J. K. Rowling (the author of the Harry Potter series, who is vocally anti-trans). In other words, my desire to play the game conflicted with my other desire to avoid supporting J. K. Rowling in any capacity. I initially told myself that purchasing the game in the future would be fine, since she wasn't directly involved with the production process. After all, I've dreamed of playing a comprehensive Harry Potter game like this one since I was young... However, given that she's the original creator, I'm aware that she'll receive monetary compensation for my hypothetical purchase, so it still doesn't feel too good (i.e., it feels like I'd be compromising a moral value). I decided that a good way to reduce dissonance would be to play the game when it comes out, but only if I can find it online for free. In this case, I could rationalize indulging in the game without feeling like I'm directly supporting J. K. Rowling with my money. This, however, activates a host of additional conflicting cognitions (e.g., on piracy and how monetary support isn't the only kind of support I'd wish to withhold) that I won't expand upon further..