What does the term "cognitive dissonance" refer to?

Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort that arises when an individual holds two or more contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or values at the same time, or when their behavior is inconsistent with their beliefs. This theory, developed by psychologist Leon Festinger, posits that people are motivated to reduce this discomfort, often by changing their beliefs or behaviors, rationalizing, or justifying their decisions.

For example, if someone values health but smokes cigarettes, they may experience cognitive dissonance due to the conflict between their health beliefs and their smoking behavior. To alleviate this dissonance, they might quit smoking, downplay the health risks of smoking, or reinforce their belief by seeking out information that justifies smoking.

Understanding cognitive dissonance is pivotal in fields like counseling and therapy, as it can inform strategies for helping clients become aware of inconsistencies in their beliefs and behaviors, and support them in making more aligned choices.