Status:: #🌱 Tags:: Links:: <% tp.file.cursor(4) %> ___ # Balance theory Balance theory proposed by Fritz Heider Balance Theory, proposed by Fritz Heider, is a psychological theory that suggests that individuals strive for psychological consistency in their beliefs, values, and ideas. Balance is assessed between a person (P), an Other (O), and some third element (X) on a triangle. Triads that multiply to positive signs are balanced where as triads that multiple to negative are unbalanced. ![[Pasted image 20221110133234.png]] Here is an example of imbalance:  Imbalance creates [[Cognitive dissonance]] which the theory proposes the person will be motivated to balance. They can do this by changing their perception of O or of X.