cognitive dissonance: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Academic, Psychological, Increasingly common in journalistic and general discourse.
Quick answer
What does “cognitive dissonance” mean?
The psychological discomfort or mental stress experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The psychological discomfort or mental stress experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs.
A theoretical state in psychology describing the motivational drive to reduce inconsistency among cognitions (beliefs, attitudes, behaviours) by changing one's attitudes, beliefs, or actions, or by rationalizing or denying the information. In broader, non-technical usage, it refers to a feeling of mental unease when one's actions don't align with one's stated values or self-image.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or spelling. The term is equally used and understood in academic and intellectual circles in both regions.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used in its precise, academic sense in UK contexts; its metaphorical use is slightly more prevalent in US media and public discourse.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in academic psychology. Slightly higher frequency in US pop psychology, self-help, and political commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “cognitive dissonance” in a Sentence
[Subject] experiences cognitive dissonance [when/because...]Cognitive dissonance arises from...To reduce/resolve the cognitive dissonance between X and Y, [subject]...The theory/state/concept of cognitive dissonanceVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cognitive dissonance” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The conflicting data caused him to dissonance cognitively, though this verb form is highly non-standard and not recommended.
- Researchers study how people cognitively dissonate when faced with contradictory health advice.
American English
- You can't just cognitive-dissonance your way out of that hypocrisy! (informal, jocular)
- The policy seemed designed to make voters dissonate cognitively about their priorities.
adverb
British English
- He reacted, cognitive-dissonantly, by angrily defending the very system that had failed him. (rare, non-standard)
- She smiled cognitive-dissonantly while delivering the bad news.
American English
- He laughed cognitive-dissonantly, trying to mask his discomfort. (rare, non-standard)
- The market reacted cognitive-dissonantly to the mixed economic signals.
adjective
British English
- He was in a cognitively dissonant state after the revelation.
- The advert provoked a cognitively dissonant response in eco-conscious consumers.
American English
- She experienced a deeply cognitive-dissonant moment.
- The film creates a cognitive-dissonant atmosphere by pairing joyful music with tragic scenes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used when discussing corporate social responsibility vs. profit motives, or employee values conflicting with company policies. 'The CEO's pledge to sustainability created cognitive dissonance among staff when cost-cutting led to increased pollution.'
Academic
Core term in social psychology. Used in research on decision-making, belief perseverance, and attitude change. 'The experiment was designed to test the effects of cognitive dissonance on post-decisional rationalisation.'
Everyday
Used to describe personal situations where actions and beliefs clash. 'I feel real cognitive dissonance about flying on holiday while worrying about climate change.'
Technical
A specific motivational state within Festinger's theory, measurable through physiological arousal, leading to predictable strategies for dissonance reduction (changing cognition, adding consonant cognitions, trivialising).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cognitive dissonance”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cognitive dissonance”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cognitive dissonance”
- Misspelling as 'cognitive dissidence' (dissidence refers to political opposition).
- Using it as a fancy synonym for simple 'confusion' or 'indecision'.
- Pronouncing 'dissonance' with a 'z' sound (/ˈdɪz.ə.nəns/) instead of the correct 's' sound (/ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not an illness or disorder. It is a normal, universal psychological state or theory that describes the discomfort of holding conflicting thoughts and the motivation to resolve it.
The term was coined and the theory developed by American social psychologist Leon Festinger and his colleagues in the 1950s, most famously presented in his 1957 book 'A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance'.
A person who knows smoking is harmful to health (cognition 1) but continues to smoke (cognition 2). The dissonance may lead them to quit, deny the evidence, or downplay the risks to reduce the mental discomfort.
The state itself is uncomfortable, but the process of resolving it can be positive if it leads to beneficial attitude or behaviour change, such as adopting healthier habits or aligning actions with ethical values.
Cognitive dissonance is usually formal, academic, psychological, increasingly common in journalistic and general discourse. in register.
Cognitive dissonance: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒɡ.nə.tɪv ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːɡ.nə.t̬ɪv ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be at odds with oneself”
- “To have a conflict of conscience”
- “To be of two minds (weaker, related)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of your COGnition (thinking) being in a DISSONANT (clashing) state, like two loud, wrong musical notes played together in your mind.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MIND IS A HARMONIOUS SYSTEM (dissonance is a disruption to this harmony), HOLDING CONTRADICTORY IDEAS IS CARRYING OPPOSING WEIGHTS.
Practice
Quiz
In psychological terms, what is the primary consequence of cognitive dissonance?