Estelle Theresa T.

Gulay April 15, 2022

BS Psychology 2-5 Prof. Mary Grace Daliva

Cognitive Dissonance

Throughout each individual’s life span, we may find ourselves acting against one’s
principle or holding contradicting values in our minds. This inconsistency experienced by human
beings is known as cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance results in mental discomfort often
relieved through distortion or denial of values or adoption of ideas that may justify one of their
beliefs. According to an article by Plumridge (2019), these responses to cognitive dissonance
ultimately affect our decision-making.

When I read the stated article, I instantly remembered the times when I go out with my
friends even though I still have a lot of schoolwork piled up or I have a scheduled examination the
day after. Despite being aware of my academic responsibilities as a student, my teenage self
preferred to bond with my peers. In the end, I would often embrace the “Life is Short” and “Grades
do not Matter” mindset and usually end up leaving the house. However, can we say that such a
decision was the best decision at that moment? Comparing my experience with the imparted
knowledge from the article, I have recognized that I have not created the best reasons for my
decision. The beliefs that served as the basis for my judgment were merely created to rationalize
my desire to hang out. The fact that grades do matter in applying for college or if one simply wants
to graduate, and possibilities for other opportunities of going out with friends, were neglected.
After all, accommodation of this information will just bring more light to the cognitive dissonance
I was experiencing. Hence, I can say that even though I genuinely enjoyed the moment with my
peers, the decision I have made was poor for it was derived from illogical beliefs and ignorance of
facts.

Such is a manifestation of how cognitive dissonance affects decision-making. It is humans’

nature to fix incongruencies in oneself or ease any kind of discomfort, may it be physical or mental.
However, when the possibility for cognitive dissonance arises, people tend to go the easier path
by applying band aid-solutions – justifying one of their pre-existing beliefs, overlooking and even
denying all other available information. In decision-making, this results in biased decisions that
are not based on reasons. For example, in politics, most people tend to stick with their candidate/s
and neglect any information about others, or any unhelpful evidence that may challenge their
belief. However, decisions made in this easier path can be subjected to irrationality and may even
hinder one’s development.

Therefore, if cognitive dissonance is experienced, instead of simply justifying the belief

we are inclined to, we must be conscious of the contradicting ideas in our minds and be open to
all present information, even though it may produce more discomfort. This also implies that people
should accept clashing information without fearing the possibilities for change in behavior or
ideals. Rather, think of change as means for the growth of oneself. With this mindset, people can
generate more meaningful decisions which will eventually aid in one’s future decision-making and
overall life journey.

The Bandwagon Effect

Do we really own our beliefs, or do we just simply claim it because a lot of people do?
There comes a period in our lives wherein we adopt attitudes, behaviors, and even beliefs because
most of the people around us do so. This tendency, according to the article by Davies J. (2019) is
called the bandwagon effect and such phenomena can be observed in various aspects nowadays.

I sometimes find myself jumping onto the bandwagon, believing that what is popular must
be intrinsically good, and a commonly adopted belief must be the right one. In my opinion, no one
can completely avoid the bandwagon effect. We may not notice it, but somehow, there was a period
in an individual's life wherein decisions made are subjected to bias in which popularity serves as
the basis for one’s judgment. This is evident in consumer behavior wherein most individuals tend
to buy products that are commonly used by a lot of people. Additionally, seeing numerous great
reviews persuades us to buy that certain product even more. Even in dining out, people commonly
visit popular restaurants and order the best-selling item on their menu.

Davies (2019) noted that human’s innate desire to belong in a society or particular group
causes the inability to escape this bandwagon phenomenon. However, aside from this, the
widespread of this effect can also be attributed to the rise of social media which is currently part
of a person’s everyday life. Using the examples given from the preceding paragraph, social media
serves as the platform for identifying trendy products or well-liked restaurants at the present. Truly,
the more exposure we have to seemingly popular objects, ideas, and practices, the more we are
convinced that they are intrinsically good and right. After all, why would a lot of people approve
of something bad or wrong? This kind of reasoning, however, does not produce a meaningful
decision for other information that should be considered in making a choice was overlooked. Going
back to the example earlier, the ingredients of the product, its effectiveness, and even your
preference can be neglected if driven by the bandwagon effect.

These generated irrational and biased choices ultimately impact an individual’s life
negatively. Depending on what is “in” may lead to an unmeaningful life driven by society’s
preferences, rather than your own. Others may find themselves in a cognitive dissonance in which
behavior does not line with their own ideals.

On the other hand, it is important to know that some decisions do not only affect ourselves.
This can be exemplified in politics in which every individual’s choices carry a significant impact
on the lives of their fellow countrymen. Simply jumping into the “bandwagon” leads to neglect of
crucial information such as credentials, morals, and experiences of a candidate. For instance, one
may vote for the most popular candidate that was involved in a vicious crime they were unaware
of or fail to choose the candidate who served the country relentlessly. With this, if people were to
simply base one’s choices on popularity, then the development of a country may be far from reach.

These negative implications of bandwagon demonstrate that in decision-making, it is

important to think critically before creating and acting upon the decision. Rather than depending
on the commonly accepted beliefs, objects, and practices, one must always look at all available
information and rely on one’s principles. This would produce meaningful, unbiased decisions
which is vital in this day as elections are now approaching. Keep in mind that the recovery and
future of everyone in our country, and our motherland itself, rests on our votes and hence, we must
all strive to remove biases in our choices and try to guide one’s choices for the best reasons.
Reference:

1. Davies, J. (2019, June 28). The bandwagon effect: How it affects your decisions
without you knowing. Learning Mind. Retrieved April 10, 2022 from
https://www.learning-mind.com/bandwagon-effect-
decisions/?fbclid=IwAR2Qu4DHAonCja2Cg-GLamV04yg-
wrB4a9jAo6rRYSJH6dYn7Iw7HI6d8hY
2. Plumridge N. (2019, February 17). Cognitive dissonance: How it affects decision
making. Psychminds. Retrieved April 10, 2022 from
https://psychminds.com/cognitive-dissonance-how-it-affects-decision-making/