Introduction
Cognitive dissonance is what you feel when you hear something that disagrees with what you believe to be true.
Description
Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort a person feels when their behaviour does not align with their values or beliefs. They feel as though they are holding two separate beliefs at the same time.
Example
Here are some everyday examples:
Smoking: a person may be aware of the dangers of smoking but continue to do so;
Eating meat: a person may have strong feelings about animal welfare but continue to eat meat;
Making excuses: a person may have strong beliefs about personal autonomy but insist they had ‘to do it for their job’;
Belief disconfirmation: a person may find out something that contradicts deeply held beliefs