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Whose theory explained the ‘cognitive dissonance’ people feel when beliefs and actions clash?

Quick Answer

Leon Festinger’s. He proposed the theory in 1957 to explain mental discomfort from inconsistency.

The Full Story

Leon Festinger, an American social psychologist, introduced cognitive dissonance theory in 1957. The idea is that when people hold contradictory beliefs or behave in ways that conflict with their values, they experience discomfort and try to reduce it. They may change beliefs, justify behavior, or avoid information that increases the conflict. Festinger’s theory became one of the most important ideas in social psychology.

Key Facts

1.Leon Festinger (1919–1989)
2.Cognitive dissonance theory was published in 1957
3.The theory explains how people reduce mental inconsistency

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"Why people rationalize the things they do"

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