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Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Definition

This is a psychological theory proposed by Leon Festinger that suggests we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony (or dissonance). When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors (dissonance), something must change to eliminate the dissonance.

Analogy

Imagine you're on a diet but you love chocolate cake. You know eating the cake goes against your diet, creating a conflict - this is cognitive dissonance. To resolve it, you might convince yourself that one piece won't hurt, or maybe even decide that diets aren't really necessary for health - these are ways of reducing the discomfort caused by the conflicting ideas.

Related terms

Attitude: A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one which is reflected in a person's behavior.

Belief System: The collective beliefs shared by individuals around values, ideas and experiences; it influences how they perceive their environment and respond to it.

Self-Perception Theory: A theory suggesting people develop attitudes by observing their own behavior and concluding what attitudes must have caused them.