Attribution Theory
- A student's feeling about abilities and how well he/she can do or understand something
- Internal or external locus of control (One's own decisions or the environment)
- Stable vs unstable (Can things change over time?)
- Controllability (Skill or effort vs luck)
Cognitive Dissonance
- Conflicting ideas in one's mind
- Understanding vs understanding (Learning something new that contradicts what one previously thought was correct)
- Understanding vs behavior (Knowing something is reliable but acting like it's not)
Similarities in Definitions
- Both affect motivation.
- Both reflect self-perception.
- Both are internal disconnects between reality and self perception.
- Both are defense mechanisms protecting self concept.
- Both can either be productive or unproductive.
- Both can turn into a serious impediment to learning.
Differences in Definitions
- Attribution Theory has more factors than Cognitive Dissonance.
- Cognitive Dissonance has more of a social aspect in terms of social justice.
Application
Attribution Theory
- Education (Often in reading and math but can appear in any subject)
- Law
- Mental health
Cognitive Dissonance
- Decision-making situations
- Problem-solving situations
- Social justice
Similarities in Application
- When unproductive, correction needs external supports.
- Teach explicitly for change so students can learn to think differently.
Differences in Application
- Attribution Theory is more content specific while Cognitive Dissonance crosses content.
Implications for ID
- Be aware of students' attribution of ability.
- Use attitude surveys to determine what they understand about their abilities.
- Know that cognitive dissonance can be OK especially in the area of social justice and can help new understandings take hold. Students need time to grapple with conflicting ideas.
- Teaching growth and fixed mindsets helps students open their minds to learning.
Examples
Attribution Theory
High Achievers
- High test score
- Proud and confident
- Success = ability
Low Achievers
- High test score
- Not proud and confident
- Success = luck
Cognitive Dissonance
Smoking Nurse
- Cancer ward
- Knows dangers
- Obesity rationale
- Attitude vs behavior
Dallas ER Doctor
- African American
- Distrusts/dislikes cops
- Sad he couldn’t save them all
- Attitude vs attitude
Resources
Cullata, R. (2015). Attribution theory (B. Weiner). Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/attribution-theory.html
Cullata, R. (2015) Cognitive dissonance (Leon Festinger). Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/cognitive-dissonance.html
Gorski, P. (2009). Cognitive dissonance as a strategy in social justice teaching. Multicultural Education. 17, (1). 54-57. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ871366
Riley, R. (2016, July). Doctor who treated officers of Dallas shooting impeccably sums up cognitive dissonance some black men experience in America. Atlanta Black Star. Retrieved from http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/07/12/doctor-who-treated-officers-of-dallas-shooting-impeccably-sums-up-cognitive-dissonance-some-black-men-experience-in-america/
TEDxCanberra (producer). (2010) Ash Donaldson: Cognitive dissonance. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqONzcNbzh8
Weiner, B. (2010). The development of an attribution-based theory of motivation: a history of ideas. Educational Psychologist. 45, (1). 28-36. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com.libproxy.stcloudstate.edu/openurl?genre=article&id=doi:10.1080/00461520903433596
