Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory

Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory explains how people experience mental discomfort when their beliefs, attitudes, or actions conflict. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often change their attitudes or justify their actions. For example, if someone cares about health but smokes, they might rationalize it by saying smoking relaxes them or that the health risks are exaggerated. This process helps restore internal consistency and psychological comfort. The theory highlights how people are motivated to maintain harmony between their beliefs and behaviors, often unconsciously adjusting one or the other to reduce dissonance.