Frustration and Dissonance Risk

Frustration and Dissonance/Risk

Frustration and Dissonance / Risk

Frustration and Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance has been extensively studied in social psychology as the effects of dissonance would cause dramatic changes in one's life. Cognitive dissonance is defined as an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The result of dissonance may be anxiety, blaming, and denying. Although, the latter may also occur as the result of frustration, frustration is a conflict which occurs when something happens against one's will. The ways of reducing dissonance and frustration are justifying, blaming, and denying. People's experiences can contradict with expectations. For example, my old car was a manual transmission car, very reliable, fuel efficient; however, I wanted to buy an automatic transmission car with built in GPS and more room. However, my new car is not meeting my expectations. I have given three speed tickets because I was used to drive manual transmission car that I had more control over my speed. The expenses of my new car are more than my former car such as insurance, gas and maintenance. I know that I made a good chose of the brand but sometimes my built-in GPS gets crazy and tries to take over the car. A week ago, I was traveling to a destination where I have never been and the GPS started to tell me "MAKE a U-TURN," "MAKE a U-TURN" and it would not have stopped until I turned it off. I have to admit that I felt guilty spending much more money to upgrade my car when my old car was running perfectly. GPS technology is amazingly high-tech and complicated, and yet makes the life very easy since I do not need to open a map and try to foresee where I want to arrive in two hours or worry about the road constructions which would make me to define another trip plan. As a result of my dissociation, I accommodated the idea that high-tech products make the life easier only in moderation. On the other hand, I sometimes get frustrated not having enough technology. My grandmother sends me letters almost every week and I feel guilty not answering her letters but it would be much easier if she knew how to use the internet. I used to send her letters as soon as I received hers; with the time, the number of letters I sent back to her reduced and nowadays I use my computer to write letters to her and after printing I send it to her. As a result, I reduced my dissonance and at the same time she is happy to get my response letters.

Risk

The basic definition of technology is the knowledge of certain tools, arts and skills in order to offer faster, more reliable and standard solutions. Although, the expectations from the technology is positive and for the better, there is always a risk that the technology can fail. Therefore, most of the companies analyze the risks of the technology; they produce or use, and develop risk management plans. The TV series Mission Impossible (1966-1973) can be a good example to explain the rapid change in technology and security enhancement with technology. In one of the episodes, the fingerprint technology was impressively used to open a security door and it was never thought that it could be such a common technology of today. Nowadays, organizations use the biometric identification technology to protect their knowhow and physical buildings. In addition to organizations, individuals buy cars running and opening with their fingerprints. The advantages using biomedical techniques include but not limited to reducing the risk of losing the ID card or the key to open the door, and difficulty to prepare fake biomedical password. The risk of this technology is losing the biological organ and also the computer crashes. One extreme case would be the increasing rate of violence. For example, someone may want to reach a file illegally on a computer with a biomedical password. In the traditional way of crime, the person, the theft, basically steals or copies the password, but the technology would bring a risk that the person, who has the permission to reach that particular information, would be a victim of this crime. More commonly, the computer hackers are developing their skills and ability to reach certain information on the cyber world. A couple months ago I faced with a trojan which was not only effecting my computer but also using my email address to send ghost emails to the people in my address box. Moreover, the trojan reached to my online bank account and used my credit cards. It took me several months to recover my data and bank accounts. I have been thinking that I would not be the victim of the crime if I were to choose the face-to-face banking scarifying my time related to the waiting time on the bank line. Recently it was reported that almost a million of computers attacked in a month. Before the technology era, the thefts used to go and steal the money from banks and the crime was easy to control as the affected area was local. Although, the technology brought a time efficient, easier solutions in many industries and organizations, the usage of technology also provided easier and mass effective frauds.