Dissonance Theory

Dissonance Theory, developed by Leon Festinger, explains how people experience mental discomfort when their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors conflict with each other. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often change their beliefs or justify their actions to create consistency. For example, someone who smokes despite knowing it's harmful might downplay the risks to reconcile their behavior with their desire to stay healthy. This theory helps explain various behaviors and how people strive for internal harmony, often modifying their thoughts or feelings rather than their actions to reduce mental tension.