Cognitive dissonance theory
Cognitive Dissonance Theory suggests that people experience discomfort when they hold conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or values, or when their actions contradict their beliefs. This discomfort motivates them to change something to restore harmony. For example, if someone values health but smokes, they may quit smoking or rationalize their behavior by downplaying the health risks. Essentially, the theory helps explain how we strive for consistency in our thoughts and actions to avoid psychological tension.
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Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that people experience discomfort when their beliefs, values, or actions conflict with each other. This tension encourages individuals to change either their beliefs or behaviors to restore harmony. For example, if someone values health but smokes, they may either quit smoking or convince themselves that smoking isn’t that harmful. Essentially, cognitive dissonance drives us to seek consistency in our thoughts and actions to feel more comfortable and reduce mental stress.