Nakul Patel is keen to study in USA. Unfortunately, he has a poor academic record. He has not appeared in GRE and TOFEL. His uncle Kushal Patel while on a visit to India advises Nakul to visit USA on a tourist visa. Kushal runs a few grocery stores in Alabama. He assures Nakul that he will secure him admission in a university and that any Indian student reaching America will do well. Nakul takes money from his father and reaches USA. But he does miserably in GRE and TOFEL. He finds that his uncle is too immersed in running the shops.
How can we evaluate the position in which Nakul landed?
1. Things do not always happen in accordance with one’s plans.
2. Kushal Patel’s advice to Nakul was improper.
3. Nakul did not carefully plan his strategy and work towards his goal.
4. Luck did not favour Nakul.
The first answer choice is a general observation which though true fails to address the specific ingredients of thecase.As weshallsee,Nakuldidnot havea properplanforreaching hischosengoal. The second answer choice is partially true, but really does not explain the predicament of Nakul. Kushal being a grocery store owner lacks the necessary background to advise Nakul about
studies in USA. Kushal rightly observed that Indian students in USA do well, but had no idea of the preparatory work they do before they go to USA, and the efforts they make thereafter. It was for Nakul to plan and get ready for the academic career in USA.
The third option is the correct one. It zeros in on the mistakes Nakul made. As Nakul did not have a good academic record, he should have worked to improve his skills and knowledge. He should have taken the necessary tests before going to USA. He could have consulted his teachers and friends. In short, he did not prepare himself adequatelyforpursuing studies in USA. He allowed his thinking to be taken over by his dreams. Both rationalization and wishful thinking are irrational ways of acting on the basis of our attitudes. Hence, his chances of success were bleak from the start.
Luck or fortune is the final or residuary factor in success. It is not in our hands. If after making earnest efforts one does not succeed, then he can ascribe failure to fortuitous factors. But Nakul did not make the necessary efforts. Here, we may recall the famous saying that fortune favours the prepared mind.
Uptil now, we have looked at beliefs (or views) and actions (or behaviours) as flowing consistently from attitudes. LeonFestinger showed that the relation can operate also from the oppositedirection. That is to say,just as attitudes can affect behaviour, behaviour can affect attitudes. This is calledthe theory of cognitive dissonance. Dissonance means disharmony or inconsistency. When an individual’s beliefs and attitudes oppose each other or the behaviour, he experiences psychological tension or discomfort. He is then motivated to reduce the dissonance through changes in behaviour or cognition.