Extending Psychological Frontiers: Selected Works

Leon Festinger’s 40 year scrutiny of that curious animal, the modern human being fundamentally transformed psychological thinking and shaped an entire scientific field, that of social psychology. The 24 papers brought together for the first time in this book encompasses the classic contributions and critical turning points of Festinger’s long career. Scanning the post-war decades, this volume reveals the full scope, diversity and import of Festinger’s work. Its thematic arrangement clarifies the complex network of problems that preoccupied Festinger and the unique imaginative style which characterizes his intellect. Whether examining the voting behaviour of Catholics and Jews, the meaning of minute eye movements, the decisions of maze running rats or the proselytizing behaviour of cultists, Festinger consistently transcended the traditional bounds of the discipline. His theory of cognitive dissonance, which describes how people attempt to resolve the tensions that result when they hold two inconsistent beliefs, challenged pre-exisiting psychological theories and produced more important ideas and experimentation than any other development in social psychology. Major writings on group dynamics, decision making and perceptual processes further underscore the impact of Festinger’s research, not only on psychology but also on a wide range of intellectual fronts.