Consistency Theories
“I love to be balanced”
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1. Basic Assumptions
We like balance
Thoughts, beliefs, values, and attitudes,
and behaviors are organized sensibly
Humans are rational and try to be
consistent to self and others
We may be irrational in achieving it
It works like physiology
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2. How Does Inconsistency
Happen?
Logical short-comings
Conflicting roles
Environment changes
Social change
Persuaded to change
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3. Balance Theory (Heider 1946)
A. General Law - An unbalanced state
produces tension & generates forces to
restore balance
B. Balanced State - Even # of neg. or all +
C. Unbalanced State - Odd # of neg.
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Example of Balance Theory
Bo
+
+
Sue
Big Event
???????
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Critique of Heider
Too simple
Attraction Effect
Chicken Feed Problem
Awareness of inconsistency
Intensity/Salience Issue
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4. Structural Balance
Cartwright & Harary
Add Valence 0 and 1
Zero Value is important
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5. Congruity Theory (Osgood)
General Law - When attitudes toward the
source and the assertion are incongruent,
there is a tendency to change both in
direction of congruity
Unbalanced state - either one or all have
negative relations
More polarized attitudes are more difficult
to change
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Congruity Examples
Initial Attitude
CP
-3
-2
-1
SC
0
1
2
3
Attitude after CP ruled legal
2
Attitude after CP ruled illegal
2.5
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2.5
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6. Cognitive Balancing
(Ableson & Rosenberg)
A. Types of Bonds
Associative Relations - is, has, includes, likes,
helps, produces, implies
Disassociative - avoids, hates, defeats
hinders, incongruent
B. Attitudes toward object or person
+ (positive)
- (negative)
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C. Modes of Resolution
Denial - attack cognitive element
Bolstering - drown out imbalance
Differentiation - split element into 2 or
more parts
Transcendence - imbed elements in higher
levels or larger units
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