Tag Archives: Balance Theory

Fritz Heider’s Balance Theory is a motivational theory of attitude change proposed by Fritz Heider, which conceptualizes the consistency motive as a drive toward psychological balance. Heider proposed that “sentiment” or liking relationships are balanced if the affect valence in a system multiplies out to a positive result.

For example: a Person who likes an Other person will be balanced by the same valence attitude on behalf of the other. Symbolically, P (+) > O and P < (+) O results in psychological balance.

This can be extended to objects (X) as well, thus introducing triadic relationships. If a person P likes object X but dislikes other person O, what does P feel upon learning that O created X? This is symbolized as such:

* P (+) > X
* P (-) > O
* O (+) > X

The goal is now to understand the relationships between each pair (P-O, P-X, O-X), in terms of:

• L: liking, evaluating and approving, or
• U: A more general cognitive unit that is formed, such as similarity or belonging.