Reading passage

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept that refers to the discomfort experienced when individuals hold contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. This theory suggests that people are motivated to reduce this dissonance by altering their beliefs or behaviors to align with each other. For example, if a person believes smoking is harmful but continues to smoke, they may experience cognitive dissonance. This theory was proposed by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s and has since been widely studied in the field of social psychology.

Listening transcript

Professor: Today, we are discussing cognitive dissonance, a key concept in psychology. Imagine a person who values health but engages in unhealthy habits like consuming sugary drinks regularly. This individual may experience cognitive dissonance as their actions contradict their beliefs. Another example is seen in consumers who buy products they know are harmful to the environment. These conflicting behaviors often lead to discomfort. Cognitive dissonance theory helps us understand how individuals strive for consistency in their beliefs and 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, as mentioned in the reading, is the discomfort arising from conflicting beliefs or behaviors. The professor illustrated this with examples such as a health-conscious person who consumes unhealthy drinks and consumers who buy environmentally harmful products. These instances create a mental unease that individuals seek to resolve by aligning their actions with their beliefs. Cognitive dissonance theory, proposed by Festinger, highlights the human tendency to seek harmony in their thoughts and behaviors, even if it means changing their beliefs to reduce discomfort.