Cognitive Dissonance It explains the mental discomfort (dissonance) people feel when they hold two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes, or when their behavior conflicts with their beliefs. Core Idea:
When people experience inconsistency between their thoughts and actions, they feel psychological discomfort and are motivated to reduce that discomfort by:
Changing their beliefs
Changing their behavior
Justifying or rationalizing the inconsistency
Example:
A person who smokes cigarettes but knows smoking is harmful might experience dissonance.
To reduce it, they might:
Change behavior: Quit smoking.
Change belief: Downplay the risks (“My grandfather smoked and lived to 90”).
Rationalize: “I’m too stressed — smoking helps me cope.”
Cognitive Dissonance Reduction Strategies:
Avoiding conflicting information
Seeking support or affirmation
Reinterpreting evidence
Trivializing the inconsistency
Applications:
Marketing: Brands use it to encourage loyalty or buyer justification (“post-purchase rationalization”).
Health: Motivates behavior change (e.g., quitting harmful habits).
Social psychology: Explains attitude shifts, group behavior, and belief systems.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 