cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance (noun) means 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. Example: “Smokers who know the risks often resolve their cognitive dissonance by doubting the statistics.”
How to Use Cognitive dissonance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe uneasy feeling of believing one thing but doing or thinking the opposite.
Originally a technical term in psychology, now widely used in journalism and everyday argument; treat it as an uncountable noun.
It names the discomfort itself, not the contradiction; the beliefs clash, the person feels the dissonance.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Smokers who know the risks often resolve their _____ by doubting the statistics.
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.
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Rhymes for cognitive dissonance
See all rhymes for 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.