Lecture Script

Today's lecture focuses on the concept of cognitive dissonance in psychology. Cognitive dissonance occurs when individuals experience discomfort due to holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. For example, imagine someone who values health but continues to engage in unhealthy habits like smoking. This inconsistency creates cognitive dissonance, leading to psychological discomfort. According to Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, individuals are motivated to reduce this discomfort by either changing their behavior or justifying their actions. Understanding cognitive dissonance is crucial in explaining human behavior and decision-making processes.

Key Points

• Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort resulting from conflicting beliefs or attitudes.
• Festinger's theory suggests individuals will strive to reduce cognitive dissonance by changing behavior or justifying actions.

Sample Answer

In today's lecture, we delved into the concept of cognitive dissonance in psychology. Cognitive dissonance refers to the discomfort arising from conflicting beliefs or attitudes. For instance, someone valuing health yet engaging in unhealthy habits like smoking experiences this dissonance. According to Festinger's theory, individuals are driven to alleviate this discomfort by modifying their behavior or rationalizing their actions. Understanding cognitive dissonance provides insights into human behavior and decision-making processes.