The s Deathbed Altruism s Greatest Loss Essay

Research Report â€Å"Chivalry’s Deathbed: Altruism’s Greatest Loss† A.O.K. Monday/Wednesday: 12:30pm-1:45pm Kai McCaslin U46881464 American society is often involved in circumstances that necessitate members to behave, or believe, in ways that they do not anticipate and that cause them to undertake actions that contradict their beliefs or values (Kahan, 2006). For example, for the 2016 presidential election in the United States, a large portion of the centralistic American population voted for the right-wing candidate, Donald Trump, not because they supported his political view, but because they did not want the leftist candidate, Hillary Clinton, to be elected. Another example can be witnessed through the actions of the â€Å"social smoking† population of America; many American smokers are trying to give up tobacco but, nevertheless feel the need to smoke a cigarette when in the presence of other smokers. Such circumstances occur very regularly in life and often cause people to change the way they think and behave. Social psychologists have shown that such situations create what they call â€Å"cognitive dissonance, a situation experienced by individuals who are asked, or need, to behave or think in a way that conflicts with their opinions or attitudes† (Festinger, 1957). In other words, â€Å"cognitive dissonance relates to the mental tension that arises when an individual has to deal with incompatible cognitions† (Festinger, 1957). Chivalry can be defined as, â€Å"a proper and