Cognitive dissonance is a communication theory adopted from social psychology. The title gives the concept: cognitive is thinking or the mind; and dissonance is inconsistency or conflict. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological conflict from holding two or more incompatible beliefs simultaneously.
This can be applied to community development when working with a community whose traditional structures may hinder the goal you are trying to accomplish in some way. While you value what they believe, you may see how it is holding back what are you trying to do. When that happens, it is important to put your ego to the side and meet the community where they are at.
This happens often as college students develop. They have heard one thing their entire lives, then get to college and learn that what their homogeneous city told them about the world is pretty far off. Educators must realize and help students work through these potentially difficult realizations.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press
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