How We Live With Contradictions
Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to yourself? All of us tell stories about why we do the things we do. We justify our failures, and come up with plausible explanations for our actions. This week, Elliot Aronson explains the mental processes behind this type of self-justification, and shares how he helped develop one of the most widely-known concepts in psychology: cognitive dissonance.
Humans are full of contradictions. We want to stay healthy, yet we smoke and loathe to exercise. We want to be honest, but we cheat and tell lies. In other words, we want to think of ourselves as good people, yet sometimes we don't act like it. Why is that? This week, psychologist Elliot Aronson shares his research on how we figure out those contradictions.
- Duration
- 1h 1m
- Broadcast on
- 11 Sep 2023
- Audio Format
- other
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Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to yourself? All of us tell stories about why we do the things we do. We justify our failures, and come up with plausible explanations for our actions. This week, Elliot Aronson explains the mental processes behind this type of self-justification, and shares how he helped develop one of the most widely-known concepts in psychology: cognitive dissonance.
If you're interested in learning more about the origins of cognitive dissonance, listen to our episode When You Need It To Be True.
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This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedantam. In the hit TV show Breaking Bad, high school chemistry teacher Walter White learns he is dying from cancer. To make money for his cancer treatments for his family, he uses his chemistry expertise to start manufacturing crystal meth. When his wife Skyler finds out he's been selling drugs, she is appalled. In an effort to win her back, Walter asks her to see things from his point of view. I've done a terrible thing, but I did it for a good reason. I did it for us. Walter thinks of himself as a good person, a good husband, a good father. He believes that the money he gets from manufacturing drugs will keep a roof over his family's heads once he dies. But as Walter gets sucked into the underworld of crime and illicit drugs, he starts to commit acts of violence in order to keep the money coming. The deeper he goes, the more rationalizations he invents. Breaking Bad won a raft of awards season after season. I personally think of it as the greatest TV show ever made. What makes the story so powerful is that even though the plot is improbable, it has the ring of psychological truth. All of us tell ourselves stories about why we do the things we do. We explain away our flaws and failures, and we come up with plausible explanations for our actions. Today on the show, the first episode of a two-part series into the human capacity for self-justification. It's also the story of a researcher who has studied the phenomenon for nearly three-quarters of a century. He has explored the psychology of rationalization and the many ways it ends up being used for evil, but also the curious ways it can be used for good. How we explain our actions to ourselves this week on Hidden Brain. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Instagram. Instagram teen accounts automatic protections limit who can contact teens, the content they can see, and the time they spend on the app. Teens are automatically placed into teen accounts. Teens under 16 will need a parent's permission to change any of those settings to be less strict. Learn more about teen accounts and Instagram's ongoing work to protect teens online at instagram.com/teenaccounts. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Defender. Even the boldest journey starts small with a single decision to go somewhere new. The Defender 110 is a vehicle built for those moments for drivers capable of great things, whether they're headed toward uncharted territory or just a weekend away. The Defender 110 combines on-road presence with off-road capability. It looks tough because it is, with an exterior engineered for durability. Inside, capability meets comfort with seating for five and the option for seven plus refined finishes and thoughtful design. It's also packed with intuitive tech like 3D surround cameras with clear-side ground view to help you navigate rough terrain and the next-generation PIVI Pro infotainment system designed to keep you informed, connected, and in control no matter the path. The Defender 110 is naturally capable, expedition ready, and build for those ready to move forward. Explore the Defender 110 at landroverusa.com Support for Hidden Brain comes from Progressive. Whoever says saving money is
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Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to yourself? All of us tell stories about why we do the things we do. We justify our failures, and come up with plausible explanations for our actions. This week, Elliot Aronson explains the mental processes behind this type of self-justification, and shares how he helped develop one of the most widely-known concepts in psychology: cognitive dissonance.
Humans are full of contradictions. We want to stay healthy, yet we smoke and loathe to exercise. We want to be honest, but we cheat and tell lies. In other words, we want to think of ourselves as good people, yet sometimes we don't act like it. Why is that? This week, psychologist Elliot Aronson shares his research on how we figure out those contradictions.