Festinger's Theory

Festinger's Theory, known as Cognitive Dissonance Theory, suggests that people experience psychological discomfort when their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are inconsistent. To reduce this discomfort, they are motivated to change their beliefs or actions to achieve harmony. For example, if someone values health but smokes, they might justify it by saying smoking relaxes them, thereby reducing the dissonance. The theory explains why we often rationalize choices or beliefs to maintain a sense of consistency and self-integrity, influencing behaviors and decision-making in many areas of life.