Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Social tension refers to the conflict, disagreement or discord experienced within a group due to differences in opinions, beliefs or interests among its members.
This is a psychological theory which suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony (or dissonance). When there is inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors (dissonance), something must change to eliminate the dissonance - this can often lead to social tension.