cognitive dissonance U.2 L.8

known something was unhealthy, believed one thing but acted differently, uncomfortable feeling = cognitive dissonance

leon festinger : developed the theory in 1957, proposed we strive to have consistency in our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours, when we encounter an inconsistency we experience psychological discomfort

cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort that arises when you hold 2 conflicting ideas, beliefs, or behaviours simultaneously

dissonance isn’t inherently negative ⟶ it signals an opportunity to grow

ignoring it can lead to chronic stress or decision paralysis, justifying harmful habits, suppressing emotions to avoid discomfort

examples include : smoking while knwoing its harmful, cheating on a test but thinking youre an honest person, staying in an unhealthy relationship while knowing you deserve better

why it matters : cognitive dissonance can influence decision-making, attitudes and beliefs, relationships, mental health and self-esteem (helps explain why people justify poor choices, resist new information, change beliefs over time)

reduce dissonance by changing their behaviour (stop the action causing discomfort), changing their beliefs (convince themselves the behaviour is okay), adding new justifications

example :

situation ⟶ student believes education is important but skips class often

dissonance ⟶ i value school vs. i skip classes

ways to reduce dissonance ⟶ start attending class OR justify skipping class

cognitive dissonance can cause guilt, shame, anxiety, impact self-image, affect coping strategies

reducing dissonance in healthy ways can improve well-being

cognitive dissonance appears in : advertising & consumer behaviour, social media, politics, environmental issues