The Etiology of Hypocrisy from the Perspective of Islamic Sources and its Comparison with the two Psychological Concepts of Ethical Hypocrisy and Cognitive Dissonance

Ali Teymour Nezhad / MA of Psychology from the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

                                                                                             aliaram6969@gmail.com

Mohammad Reza Ahmadi / Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology at the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute                                                                                                                      m.r.Ahmadi313@Gmail.com

Mohammad Reza JahangirZadeh / Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology at the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute                                                                                                jahangirzademr@gmail.com

Received: 2018/05/10 - Accepted: 2018/11/06

Abstract

"Hypocrisy" is a psychological phenomenon that, according to Islamic texts, is in conflict with the criteria of mental health. This study seeks to recognize and identify similarities and differences between the two concepts of ethical hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance in psychology. The purpose of this study is fundamental research and qualitative approach that uses conceptual-content analysis method to gather information. The hypocrisy, according to Islamic texts, is: "An abnormal psycho-behavioral condition that includes any apparent dichotomy within or between interpersonal relationships". In the etiology part, from the perspective of Islamic texts, motivational factors (such as fear and greed), psychological preparedness (such as prejudice and sense of disgust), and behavioral factors (such as lying and backwardness) were identified as the most central factors of hypocrisy. In the etiology part based on the two concepts of ethical hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance, self-interest was identified as the only psychological factor. The result is that in the concept of hypocrisy based on Islamic sources, the key concept in the definition of hypocrisy, i.e., "any dichotomy of appearance and inside", is also reflected in psychological theories and concepts such as ethical hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance. In the etiology part, the existence of common concepts such as "greed" in Islamic literature and self-interest in psychological texts can lead to the synergy between religion and psychology.

Keywords: Hypocrisy, Moral Hypocrisy, Cognitive Dissonance, cognitive dissonance, the etiology of hypocrisy.