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Notes for a prehistory of cognitive balance theory
Author(s) -
Weir Alastair J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8309.1983.tb00601.x
Subject(s) - balance theory , psychology , pleasure , friendship , privilege (computing) , social psychology , interpersonal communication , balance (ability) , trace (psycholinguistics) , cognition , personality , interpersonal relationship , epistemology , law , psychotherapist , linguistics , philosophy , neuroscience , political science
This paper is devoted to the idea that Heider's concept of cognitive balance plays a much more integrative role in the history of ideas than is sometimes believed. It brings together many and diverse lines of thought, including not only the theories of sentiments and interpersonal relations, but also the analysis of the emotions, conflict theory, personality development and even the association principle. We attempt to trace some of these threads for part of their length, treating the endeavour less as an exercise in interpersonal influence among philosophers and psychologists, more as a study in the development of the ideas as such. The paper is dedicated to Fritz and Grace Heider, in affectionate recollection of a year at Kansas University, in which my family and I enjoyed the pleasure of their company, the benefit of their counsel and the privilege of their friendship.