Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes and perceptions, so this conflict causes unpleasant feelings of unease or discomfort.
People act in ways that will lessen their discomfort because of the discrepancy between their beliefs and their behavior. Individuals take a variety of approaches to defuse this tension, including denying, rationalizing away, or ignoring new knowledge.
Signs of Cognitive Dissonance
Although everyone encounters cognitive dissonance occasionally, it's not always clear what cognitive dissonance is. Here are a few indicators that your feelings could be related to dissonance:
Feeling uncomfortable before doing something or making a decision
Trying to justify or rationalize a decision you've made or action you have taken
Trying to hide your acts from other people because you're feeling guilty or humiliated about what you've done
Feeling guilty or regretful about a previous action you took
following social pressure or succumbing to FOMO (fear of missing out), even when it wasn't what you wanted to do
Examples of Cognitive Dissonance
How does this pain caused by inconsistencies manifest itself in daily life?
Here are a few instances of cognitive dissonance that you could observe in yourself:
You desire health, yet you don't follow a balanced diet or engage in regular exercise. As a result, you experience guilt.
Even if you are aware that smoking and binge drinking are bad for your health, you yet carry them out. You use your elevated stress levels as justification for this behavior.
Although you'd prefer to save funds, you have a tendency to spend additional money as soon as you acquire it. Later on, when you have an unforeseen bill that you cannot afford, you regret making this choice.
Despite having a huge list of things to do, you choose to spend the day watching your favorite shows. You want to give the impression that you've been working hard all day because you don't want your husband to find out.
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