Description of the theoryThe term dissonance refers to when one cognitive element is inconsistent with another cognitive element according to Professor Soreno's lecture notes. Cognitive elements can be classified into four groups called beliefs, attitudes, values ​​and perceptions of behavior. Beliefs can be defined as the perception that something exists or not. This perception can range from a central or peripheral type of belief. The more central a belief is, the more difficult it is to change it. An attitude describes the positive or negative feelings we have toward people, things, or ideas. Values ​​are beliefs that are so important to a person that they practically guide their life. There are two types of values, instrumental and terminal. Perceptions of behavior simply refer to others' interpretation of actions. For example, when someone greets a person, in America it is often seen as a friendly gesture. When two of these cognitive elements are incongruous, it leads to dissonance, which can be very intense. People often experience dissonance on a daily basis, but because it is so small, it is not bothersome. Cognitive dissonance theory deals with these small events, but for the sake of understanding, extreme examples help explain the theory in more detail. According to Festinger, all cognitive elements were equally valuable in producing cognitive dissonance, but some researchers have challenged his theory. In the book The Handbook of Motivation Science, the authors argue that the cognitive element of attitude has greater value than other elements stating that it can change a person's behavior. They quote: "In experimental tests of the theory, knowledge of recent behavior is usually......middle of the article......if studies of communication continue, there will be more of tests and conclusions on the theory of cognitive dissonance which will reveal more about human communication. After all, it is by learning how we communicate with each other that we can grow as a society. ReferencesHarmon-Jones, E. (2008). Cognitive dissonance theory. In J. Shah, W. Gardener, and V. Gardener, Handbook of Motivational Science (pp. 71-83). New York: The Guilford Press. Helwig-Larson, M. and Collins, B. (April 1, 1997). A social-psychological perspective on the role of AIDS knowledge in AIDS prevention. Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 6 (No. 2).Lepper, MR and Greene, D. (1975). Turning play into work: Effects of adult supervision and extrinsic rewards on children's intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol.. 31, 479-486.