What is cognitive dissonance?
Quick Answer
Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort people feel when they hold conflicting beliefs or when their behavior clashes with their values. They often reduce the discomfort by changing beliefs, justifying behavior, or avoiding conflicting information.
The Full Story
The theory of cognitive dissonance was developed by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957. It explains why people sometimes rationalize choices after making them, such as insisting an expensive purchase was worthwhile. Dissonance can also occur when actions and moral beliefs conflict, creating psychological tension. The concept became one of the most influential ideas in social psychology and has been tested in many experiments since the 1950s.
Key Facts
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"Why people defend choices that don’t really make sense."