Psychology
Cognitive Dissonance
Meaning : The mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously.
Explanatory Paragraph:
Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual is faced with conflicting thoughts or beliefs that challenge their existing understanding. This psychological tension motivates the person to either change one of the beliefs or rationalize the conflict to reduce the discomfort. For example, if someone values health but continues to smoke, the inconsistency between their actions and beliefs may lead to cognitive dissonance. It is a powerful motivator for behavior and belief change.
Usage Examples:
- The smoker experienced cognitive dissonance when he learned about the severe health risks associated with smoking.
- To reduce cognitive dissonance, she convinced herself that occasional indulgence in junk food was harmless.
Terminology Related to Psychology
Best Articles
A belief in meritocracy is not only false: it’s bad for you
Ideal Reading Time : 8 Min
Link of the article : Click Here
Commonly Used words
Summary Of The Article
Meritocracy, though widely accepted, is flawed as success often depends on luck and external factors, not just skill and effort. Believing in meritocracy fosters selfishness, discrimination, and indifference to inequality. Despite its moral appeal, it justifies social hierarchies and wrongly attributes personal success to individual virtue.