Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Leon Festinger)

Cognitive Dissonance Theory, developed by Leon Festinger, explains the mental discomfort people experience when they hold contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. For example, if someone values health but smokes, they might feel uneasy. To reduce this discomfort, they might justify their actions ("smoking helps me relax") or change their beliefs ("smoking isn’t really unhealthy"). Essentially, people are motivated to maintain consistency among their thoughts and actions, and they often adjust their attitudes or behaviors to resolve the internal conflict and restore mental harmony.