Applied Psychology (journal)

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological state of discomfort experienced when holding two or more conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values. This discomfort arises from the inherent inconsistency between these elements, creating a state of mental tension. The theory, primarily developed by Leon Festinger, suggests that individuals are motivated to reduce this dissonance by altering their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors to achieve consistency.

This reduction can occur in several ways:

• Changing a belief: An individual may alter one of their conflicting beliefs to align it with the other. For example, someone who believes smoking is harmful but continues to smoke might downplay the health risks.

• Changing behavior: Modifying one's behavior to be consistent with a belief is another approach. In the smoking example, the individual might quit smoking.

• Adding new cognitions: Introducing new beliefs or information that rationalize the existing inconsistency can lessen the dissonance. This might involve focusing on the positive aspects of smoking (e.g., stress relief) to justify the behavior.

• Minimizing the importance of the conflict: The individual may diminish the significance of the conflicting beliefs, reducing the perceived threat to their self-concept. This might involve believing that the health risks of smoking are exaggerated.

The strength of the dissonance depends on several factors, including:

• The importance of the conflicting beliefs: The more important the beliefs, the greater the dissonance.
• The number of conflicting beliefs: More conflicting beliefs generally lead to stronger dissonance.
• The perceived ability to reduce dissonance: If an individual feels they can easily resolve the inconsistency, the dissonance will likely be less intense.

While dissonance reduction is often a subconscious process, it can also be a conscious effort. Understanding cognitive dissonance provides insight into various human behaviors, such as justifying decisions, rationalizing actions, and forming and maintaining attitudes and beliefs. Further research continues to explore the nuances of this complex psychological phenomenon and its influence on human cognition and behavior.