Cognitive dissonance is more common than you think. In the field of psychology, it occurs when a person’s beliefs or values contradict their behavior or attitude and creates the feeling of mental discomfort. If someone loves animals but still eats meat, they may feel cognitive dissonance. If someone considers themselves an ethical person, but as an employee, engages in unethical ways to increase their sales, they may feel the discomfort, too.
Since cognitive dissonance can occur in everyday situations, here are some facts about the condition, how to manage it and how to identify it.
American psychologist Leon Festinger coined the phrase and idea of cognitive dissonance in 1957. It became one of the most influential theories in social psychology.
To prove his theory, Festinger and a colleague conducted an experiment in which participants would do boring and tedious activities for 30 minutes. They then asked participants to lie and ...
