Cognitive Consistency in Purchase Behaviour: Theoretical & Empirical Analyses

Abstract

The fundamental thrust of consistency theories is to enforce equilibrium among one’s cognitions. Man seekshaemostatic states among his cognitive elements or avoids conflicting stimuli. He loves the familiar; theunfamiliar is always discomforting and disturbing though common knowledge tells us that actual behaviour turnswhat seems novel at the pre-decision stage into familiar following series of learning and experience. TheHeider’s balance theory, Osgood’s congruity model and Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory are the threepopular schools of thought that provide the foundational theories of cognitive consistency This paper criticallyanalyzed and synthesized the major theoretical and empirical body of knowledge of these schools with a view toproffering a tripartite approach (involving the consumers, the organizations and the governments) to solvinginconsistency among cognitive elements (e.g.; values, beliefs, knowledge and attitudes). These schools werespecifically looked into and assessed in terms of their individual real world application and/or empirical fertility.Each represents an improvement upon the other with Festinger’s theory providing the most elaborate perspectiveof emphasizing on psychological tension and means of achieving consistency within and between the cognitivesystem and ultimately overt and covert behaviours.