Once, I offered a slice of chocolate cake to a non-vegan person - plant-based, of course. They said, “No… it's vegan, isn't it? it’s not real!”.
As I stood there, glaring at this categorically real slice of cake - the taste, of which, I was still savouring after eating a slice - I found myself questioning my own sanity.
Maybe I’m the crazy one, to believe that food could possibly taste good without any animals being exploited in the production process.
Or maybe this person was suffering from cognitive dissonance (CD) because this new truth did not align with their normal frame of reference. Perhaps, their mind would rather dismiss the existence of tasty vegan food than consider the possibility that what they had previously held true of vegan food - that it consists of grass, carrots, and cardboard - was an ignorant misconception? I know which one seems more likely - but I might be biased.
One of the most powerful determinants of human behaviour is our need to maintain a positive, stable self-image, and the average person believes they are above average in regards to their ethics, competencies, and even attractiveness. So what happens when someone who sees themselves as moral, smart, and reasonable, is confronted with evidence that their behaviours have been immoral, stupid, or unreasonable?
Cognitive Dissonance.
This psychological phenomenon is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as:
"the state of having thoughts that are not consistent, especially relating to beliefs, behaviour and attitudes".
It's a feeling of discomfort that arises when we hold two discrepant cognitions, and we are naturally motivated to reduce it to return our mind to a pleasant state. Fortunately, there are 3 basic ways that we can do so.
1 - We can change one of our cognitions
2 - We can change our behaviour
3 - Or we can add consonant cognitions
When we're discussing the issue of animal rights with people who are not yet vegan, they are likely to experience CD, and the responses we're looking for fall into categories 1 and 2. We want people to ease their CD by changing their thoughts and behaviours - that is, by...
1 - seeing non-human animals through a different paradigm, in which the value of an animal experiencing a life free from oppression exceeds the utility value of exploiting them;
2 - and acting in line with this new paradigm, by excluding all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals, as far as is practicable and reasonable - i.e. being vegan. Ideally, we would take this a step further, and see that people not only become vegan but join us in our animal-rights advocacy efforts, speaking up for the animals as one would wish to be spoken for if they were in the animals' position.
But it doesn't always happen this way.
Many of the conversations we have with non-vegans result in the individual opting for the third method of easing their CD - by adding consonant cognitions (CC) to their current paradigm. CCs are new thoughts that allow us to maintain our self-image when we feel CD. These unconscious coping mechanisms allow us to rationalise our immoral, stupid, or unreasonable actions when our self-image is threatened. The longer it takes for a rational non-vegan person to break through their CD and become vegan, the more animals will suffer on their behalf. Alas, the ramifications of the scourge of cognitive dissonance go far beyond missed opportunities for the enjoyment of confectionary delights.
We're only human, and we don't always process new information in an unbiased way. For example, we often remember the plausible arguments for our own positions and the implausible arguments for the opposing positions, and once we're committed to our views and beliefs, most of us distort new information in a way that confirms them. The feeling we get when we reaffirm our self-concept by adopting CCs is alluring and appeases the ego, thus we often favour rationalisation over personal change.
So what can we do?
With this understanding of cognitive dissonance and its role in the acceptance of veganism, animal rights activists can take a more strategic approach in their conversations with non-vegans. By recognizing when a person may be experiencing CD and addressing their concerns and rationalizations in a respectful and empathetic manner, activists can effectively challenge their cognitive dissonance and help them make the connection between their personal values and the ethical implications of consuming animal products
Question everything. No one is immune to psychological biases or logical fallacies. By considering how cognitive dissonance might be present in our own minds, we can identify and eliminate any incoherence in our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes.
Know when to move on. When speaking with a non-vegan who persistently uses Consonant Cognitions as a means of deferring responsibility for the animal injustices instead of facing the issue at hand, it's important to know when to cut the conversation short and move onto the next person. We don't have time to argue, and we should focus our efforts on those who confront the issue with maturity, humility, and curiosity.
Practice patience. Many of the people we speak with won't have been so fortunate as to have developed healthy mechanisms to cope with cognitive dissonance. We're dealing with lifelong conditioning here. Build rapport and advance your rhetoric by practising patience, but don't be afraid to compassionately inform someone that continuing to contribute to animal exploitation in light of the information we're sharing would be an act of animal abuse.
In conclusion, cognitive dissonance plays a significant role in the acceptance of veganism, as non-vegans may experience discomfort when their actions and beliefs don't align. By recognising and addressing cognitive dissonance, animal rights activists can have more effective conversations with non-vegans and help them make the connection between their personal values and the ethical implications of consuming animal products. It is important for activists to remember to approach these conversations in a respectful and empathetic manner and not just to focus on the argument itself but also on the person experiencing the dissonance. Remember that it's a process for all of us and a slight change in the way we approach these conversations may help shift the paradigm and lead to a more compassionate and vegan world.
Click here to see the recipe for the cake shown above.
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