Running head: COGNITIVE THEORIES Cognitive Theories Name: Institution: Course Title: Instructor: Date: Cognitive Theories Introduction Leon Festinger, a US psychologist introduced a whole new concept in the field of social psychology in 1956. He named this concept as the theory of cognitive dissonance. According to this theory, individuals experience discomfort or tension in times when their expectations do not concur with their behaviors. Naturally, individuals always seek beliefs and perceptual consistencies. In a state of cognitive dissonance, individuals are faced with unpleasant experiences and change is critical whenever our beliefs don`t match with the previously held belief. This change is meant to reduce or eliminate dissonance. The same cognitive view of motivation was maintained by Jean Piaget who stressed on the principles of assimilation, equilibration, accommodation and the formation of schemas (Haynes, 2010). Like Festinger, Piaget held that children naturally have an intrinsic need to maintain the sense of balance and organization in their environment. This balance may only be experienced if the child assimilat...