How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 190
to don't think the story is true. In fact, this reporter has been
against the mayor from the time he became a candidate. I'm going
to call that reporter right now."
Separation — "I voted for him and he is doing a great job.
Inflation is low, unemployment is not a problem, and crime has
been reduced. He is doing everything he said he would. It does
not matter what he does in his private life. What matters is how he
is doing his job. There is no connection between an affair and his
job performance."
Rationalization — "Well, his wife is cold to him and she's never
around when he needs her. She's never really supported him since
he took office. After all, she still has her own business. Maybe
this is just a marriage of convenience and this relationship is part
of their agreement."
Everyday Examples of Dissonance
Listed below are some situations that might create dissonance.
You are a strict vegetarian but you see a stylish leather jacket on
sale and want to buy it.
You made a New Year's resolution to exercise every day. It is
now halfway through February, and you have not yet been to the
gym once.
You are on a stringent diet when you see Ben and Jerry's icecream on sale at the grocery store. "Buyer's remorse" is also a
form of dissonance. When we purchase a product or service, we
tend to look for ways to convince ourselves that we made the
right decision. If the people around us or other factors make us
question our decision, we experience buyer's remorse. On feeling
this inconsistency, we'll look for anything — facts, peer
validation, expert opinion — to reduce the dissonance in our
minds concerning the purchase. Some of us even use selective
exposure to minimize the risk of seeing or hearing something that
could cause dissonance. Often people won't even tell family or
friends about their purchase or decision because they know it will
create dissonance.
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