Levels of Analysis & Cognitive Dissonance

This lecture explores the levels of analysis in social psychology, focusing on the articulation of systems and meta-systems within a social situation. It delves into cognitive dissonance theory, using examples like Festinger's study on belief disconfirmation. The discussion extends to empirical examples of hypocrisy and misattribution, emphasizing the internal and external consistency in behavior. Additionally, it covers the importance of literature reviews in understanding social psychology theories and their articulation across different levels. The session concludes with a critical thinking exercise on theoretical perspectives and the evaluation of research articles.