81. Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors.
This produces a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce discomfort and restore balance.
1. For example, when people smoke (behavior) and they know that smoking causes cancer (cognition)
We hold many cognitions about the world and ourselves; when they clash, a discrepancy is evoked, resulting in a state of tension known as cognitive dissonance. As the experience of dissonance is unpleasant, we are motivated to reduce or eliminate it, and achieve consonance.
According to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions (i.e., beliefs, opinions). When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors (dissonance), something must change to eliminate the dissonance.
1. For example, when people smoke (behavior) and they know that smoking causes cancer (cognition).

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	Created by Derek Wade about 10 years ago