Cognitive dissonance
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistencies between one's beliefs and one's actions or other beliefs. countable, uncountable
"Cognitive dissonance can be seen as an antecedent condition which leads to activity oriented toward dissonance reduction just as hunger leads to activity oriented toward hunger reduction. It is a very different motivation from what psychologists are used to dealing with but, as we shall see, nonetheless powerful."
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More examples"Cognitive dissonance can be seen as an antecedent condition which leads to activity oriented toward dissonance reduction just as hunger leads to activity oriented toward hunger reduction. It is a very different motivation from what psychologists are used to dealing with but, as we shall see, nonetheless powerful."
Etymology
Coined by American psychologist Leon Festinger. Dissonance was chosen to avoid the logical connotations of inconsistency.