Attitude change according to Festinger, happens in the following way:-

A. It emphasises on the cognitive component.
B. Holding two opposing ideas/cognition makes an individual feel that some thing is out of tune.
C. The cognitive components of an attitude must be in consonance with each other
D. One of the ideas will have to be changed so that consonance can be attained

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A, C, B, D

The correct answer is Option (4) → A, C, B, D

The concept of cognitive dissonance was proposed by Leon Festinger. It emphasises the cognitive component (A). Here the basic idea is that the cognitive components of an attitude must be ‘consonant’ (opposite of ‘dissonant’) (C), i.e., they should be logically in line with each other. If an individual finds that two cognitions in an attitude are dissonant, then one of them will be changed in the direction of consonance. 

For example, think about the following ideas (‘cognitions’) : Cognition I : Pan masala causes mouth cancer which is fatal. Cognition II : I eat pan masala. Holding these two ideas or cognitions will make any individual feel that something is ‘out of tune’, or dissonant, in the attitude towards pan masala (B). Therefore, one of these ideas will have to be changed, so that consonance can be attained (D). In the example given above, in order to remove or reduce the dissonance, I will stop eating pan masala (change Cognition II). This would be the healthy, logical and sensible way of reducing dissonance.