Can "dissonance" be possative? Question about a paper I have to write...

MangoTBG

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Apr 28, 2003
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I have to write about a relationship and dissonance in that relationship. What I'm a little sketchy about, and I've checked over my books and asked other friends what their professors said, is if Dissonance can be positive. My Prof, unlike everyone else's, had mentioned that it can and she used the example (we have to write about a question and try to answer it thorugh examples) of her and her friend. Her question was along the line of "What has kept us friends for 40 years?" Reworded, but meaned the same. Well, with my current relationship w/ my S.O. I thought that'd be an excellent topic to write about, rather then bad dissonances. Well, I've run into the problem that I, along with my roommates who have to do, pretty much, the same paper for other teachers, think that I'm heading on the wrong track...


So my question to you, is if there is positive dissonance. The way I understand it is that there can be. Dissonance=the difference between the way a relationship is, and how you'd expect it to be. Normally that'd be negative dissonance, but in the case of my teacher's example, it's positive.


A little help? :) Sorry if it's writen like a "scatter-brain" would write it...It's probably because I'm freaking out. :D :D
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
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I think you need to reread your question and type it again. As it is now, I can barely understand it. :D
 

FelixDeCat

Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
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I hope you dont mean "positive". Because if you are, from someone whos trying to sound intelligent, Im shocked.
 

MangoTBG

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Apr 28, 2003
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Can you have positive Dissonance? Any definition I can find speaks of music and harmony. I can't find a clear definition of "dissonance" that indicates whether it can or not.


Edit: In fjear of getting locked up for bad spelling!
 

MangoTBG

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
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Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
I hope you dont mean "positive". Because if you are, from someone whos trying to sound intelligent, Im shocked.

I'm not trying to sound intelligent. Never have, and never will. Some people have a problem spelling. Does that mean I'm stupid? That's debatable. I do best in mathematics, but thanks for being the spelling police. I'm sure AnandTech thanks you.
 

PatboyX

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2001
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yes

edit: ok i wont be an ass.

yes, in music you can usually pick it out but that usually makes it more memorable.
but on to relationships, the example with your prof. and friend is basically the shell of what can be good about it. a fundamental idealogical difference can often make for the best of friendships. for example, lord jezo and i have been good friends for years but i consider him to be a tactless, selfish, republican ass. he considers me to be a disgusting, emotional liberal lit-i love you.
but thats ok, becuase we still like a lot of the same things but for different reasons and we have a lot of similiar experiences that we dicuss and view differently. it helps create a relationship that is not all just "oh this is what i think." "yeah, me too."
it can be nasty sometimes but it keeps things interesting.
 

Supermercado

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Jan 18, 2002
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If you're referring to music, then yes, it can be positive. Dissonance is two (or more) tones that sound "unstable" to the ear, as opposed to consonance, that sound stable. A lot of times, when you hear dissonant tones in music, they're about to be "resolved" into consonant tones that sound more pleasing to the ear. Don't know if that helps at all.
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
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Well, cognitive dissonance is an unpleasant internal state that arises when an individual notices an inconsistency between two or more attitudes or between their attitudes and their behavior.

In your paper, I think maybe you might be trying to find where differences between one's expectations and reality are positive, or helpful, to the relationship.
 

MangoTBG

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Apr 28, 2003
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Originally posted by: SuperCommando
If you're referring to music, then yes, it can be positive. Dissonance is two (or more) tones that sound "unstable" to the ear, as opposed to consonance, that sound stable. A lot of times, when you hear dissonant tones in music, they're about to be "resolved" into consonant tones that sound more pleasing to the ear. Don't know if that helps at all.

That does help, actually. It kind of clears up the definition, then. Dissonance is pretty much saying that there is a difference from what is expected and what actually happens (in that case, the expected notes and what notes actually accur).

So, for example.

One could expect a relationship not to last for as long as it has, but the fact that it has lasted this long there is dissonance in the relationship.

I'm thinking it may be easier just to BS some bad stuff and act like she's a total bitch.
 

MangoTBG

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Apr 28, 2003
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Patboy, spooon and commando, I thank you so much! :) ATOT makes me feel all warm and gooey inside! :D :D :D


:beer::beer::beer:Cheers!:beer::beer::beer:
 

PatboyX

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Aug 10, 2001
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Originally posted by: Spoooon
Well, cognitive dissonance is an unpleasant internal state that arises when an individual notices an inconsistency between two or more attitudes or between their attitudes and their behavior.

In your paper, I think maybe you might be trying to find where differences between one's expectations and reality are positive, or helpful, to the relationship.

i was going to bring this up as well, this is the most interesting form of dissonance in relationship to me becuase it involves ones relationship with oneself. you can see it a lot in college becuase i think people are very much "finding themselves" and things they onced believed they may not by the end of the month. either the belief or the behavior have to change and it is always very interesting to examine the justification people have for their actions vs. the breaking point of their belief system.

i know a vegan who originally would not allow herself to eat any animal products whatsoever but as time went on, if someone gave her food, she would accept it regardless of what it was. called it "freegan" and allowed it becuase she had not paid for (and therefore support the product) it. when confronted with this issue she would often get in screaming fights with people...not willing to face the contradiction. (or so it seemed)
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
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Had to help a friend of mine on a paper about cognitive dissonance.

We used examples of buying a car and getting home and stressing that maybe it wasn't the right car, or cost too much, etc. IOW, second-guessing.

I guess it could be positive (NOTE the spelling) but maybe that would be more like gloating?
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
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Possible way that it could be positive...

preventing one from cheating. You believe in your mind that you would never cheat, you start to flirt with someone other than your SO, you start feeling the guilt, and so you stop. Or you go ahead and cheat and then you try to reconcile the difference between your attitude and your behavior to alleviate the dissonance.