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Theories and Concepts

Cognitive Dissonance

Social Psychology
Two Bubbles Split by a Jagged Line

A theory proposed by Leon Festinger in 1957 holding that people experience psychological discomfort when they hold two or more contradictory beliefs, values or attitudes at once, and are motivated to reduce that discomfort by changing a belief, adding a justifying belief, or changing their behavior.

Facts
Core Claim
Human beings strive for internal psychological consistency in order to function mentally in the real world, so a genuine contradiction between two held beliefs motivates a person to resolve it. 1
Origin Year
1957 1
Connections

Associated With

Festinger and Carlsmith's $1/$20 Experiment, Studies and Experiments

This is the landmark experiment that first empirically demonstrated cognitive dissonance and insufficient justification.

Source Wikipedia: Cognitive dissonance
Replication Crisis, Theories and Concepts

Why this is disputed. Classic mid-century social psychology findings, including some cognitive dissonance results, are among the studies whose robustness the replication-crisis literature has re-examined.

Source Wikipedia: Replication crisis
Selective Perception, Psychological Phenomena
Source Wikipedia: Selective perception
Social Comparison Theory, Theories and Concepts

Festinger's two major theoretical contributions, seven years apart.

Developed By

Leon Festinger, Psychologists
Source Wikipedia: Cognitive dissonance

In Branch

Social Psychology, Branches of Psychology
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Cognitive dissonance
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Opening paragraph
    human beings strive for internal psychological consistency to function mentally in the real world.
  • Originator section
    In 1957, Leon Festinger introduced the theory of Cognitive Dissonance
  • Associated With: Festinger and Carlsmith's $1/$20 Experiment
Wikipedia: Selective perception
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Selective Perception, Wikipedia: Selective perception, para 2 (related concepts)
Quote, Associated With: Selective Perception, Wikipedia: Selective perception, para 2 (related concepts)
It is closely related to concepts like confirmation bias-favoring information that aligns with one's beliefs-and cognitive dissonance, the discomfort of holding conflicting thoughts, both of which shape perception.
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