Leon Festinger och exegetiken. Om förhållandet mellan samhällsvetenskapliga teorier och historiska analyser

Abstract

Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance is considered one of the most successful social psychological theories ever. Its use within the field of exegesis is taken as a point of departure for a discussion of the general possibilities of using social scientific theories in historical reconstructions. After a presentation of the most important aspects of Festinger’s theory, this article focuses upon one specific exegetical application of the theory of cognitive dissonance and the critique of that application. In the final discussion it is argued that since all historical reconstructions are the result of an interpretation of sources from certain perspectives and points of departure, there is no fundamental methodological difference between using social scientific theories and other perspectives.