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Cognitive dissonance theory, proposed by Leon Festinger, posits that individuals experience discomfort when holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. This discomfort motivates them to reduce the inconsistency.
Cognitive dissonance theory proposes that people seek psychological consistency between their expectations of life and the existential reality of the world. To function by that expectation of existential consistency, people continually reduce their cognitive dissonance in order to align their cognitions (perceptions of the world) with their ...
Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes and perceptions, so this conflict causes unpleasant feelings of unease or discomfort.
As presented by Festinger in 1957, dissonance theory began by postulating that pairs of cognitions (elements of knowledge) can be relevant or irrelevant to one another. If two cognitions are relevant to one another, they are either consonant or dissonant.
Leon Festinger, A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Over 60 years ago, Leon Festinger (1957) postulated one of the most well-known theories of psychology: cognitive dissonance theory. The theory is based on the idea that two cognitions can be relevant or irrelevant to each other (Festinger, 1957).
Learn about cognitive dissonance, how psychologist Leon Festinger developed the theory, and how reducing dissonance can alter behaviors and attitudes.
The central thesis of cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) is that when two beliefs are inconsistent, individuals experience negatively arousing cognitive conflict (called dissonance). Because the dissonance is aversive, the individuals try to reduce it by changing one or the other beliefs.