cognitive dissonance
3 synonyms and 2 antonyms for cognitive dissonance, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The uncomfortable mental tension a person feels when holding two beliefs that contradict each other, or when acting in a way that conflicts with what they believe.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to Use Cognitive Dissonance
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Originally a technical term in psychology, now widely used in journalism and everyday argument; treat it as an uncountable noun.
Etymology
A term from psychology, from cognitive relating to thinking and dissonance meaning a clash or lack of harmony; it was introduced by the psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s.
Full origin of cognitive dissonance →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between cognitive dissonance and hypocrisy?
Hypocrisy is a judgement about someone's conduct, that they preach one thing and do another. Cognitive dissonance is a description of the internal discomfort that mismatch produces. A hypocrite who feels nothing is not experiencing cognitive dissonance.
How do people usually resolve cognitive dissonance?
Rather than change the behaviour, people commonly adjust the belief: they downplay the evidence, add a justification, or reduce how much the issue matters to them. That is why the theory is often used to explain motivated reasoning.
Is cognitive dissonance a mental illness?
No. It is an ordinary psychological experience that almost everyone has, and it is not a diagnosis. It becomes noteworthy only in what people do to escape the discomfort.