Reading passage

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept that refers to the discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. According to Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, individuals are motivated to reduce this dissonance by changing their beliefs or behaviors to align with one another. For example, if someone who values health indulges in unhealthy habits like smoking, they may experience cognitive dissonance and either quit smoking or rationalize their behavior to reduce the conflict.

Listening transcript

Professor: Today, we're discussing cognitive dissonance, a key concept in psychology. Let's consider an example: Imagine a person who is environmentally conscious but drives a gas-guzzling car. This conflict may lead to discomfort, pushing the individual to either switch to a more eco-friendly vehicle or justify their current choice. Another instance is someone who believes in gender equality but unknowingly supports companies with discriminatory practices. These inconsistencies can create cognitive dissonance and prompt individuals to take corrective actions.

Speaking task instruction

Explain the concept of cognitive dissonance from the reading passage and use the professor's examples to show how it works. Preparation time: 30 seconds, Response time: 60 seconds.

Sample student response

Cognitive dissonance is when we feel uncomfortable due to conflicting beliefs or actions. For instance, if someone cares about the environment but drives a polluting car, they might feel uneasy. The professor's examples of an eco-conscious person driving a gas-guzzler or supporting gender equality but backing discriminatory companies show how this works. In both cases, individuals face a clash between their values and actions, leading to discomfort. To reduce this dissonance, they might change their behavior or find ways to justify their choices. Ultimately, cognitive dissonance pushes us to align our beliefs and actions for inner harmony.