1. Consistency Theories
“I love to be balanced” 19 19

2. 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
11/10/2018 20

3. 2. How Does Inconsistency Happen?
Logical short-comings
Conflicting roles
Environment changes
Social change
Persuaded to change
11/10/2018 21

4. 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.
11/10/2018

5. Example of Balance TheoryBo
Sue Big Event
???????
11/10/2018

6. Critique of Heider Too simple Attraction Effect Chicken Feed Problem
Awareness of inconsistency
Intensity/Salience Issue
11/10/2018

7. 4. Structural Balance Cartwright & Harary Add Valence 0 and 1
Zero Value is important
11/10/2018

8. 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
11/10/2018

9. Congruity Examples Initial Attitude CP SC -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Attitude after CP ruled legal 2
Attitude after CP ruled illegal
2.5
2.5
11/10/2018

10. 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)
11/10/2018

11. 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
11/10/2018