cognitive dissonance

American  

noun

Psychology.

1. anxiety or discomfort that results from simultaneously holding contradictory or otherwise incompatible attitudes, beliefs, or the like, such as when someone likes a person but disapproves strongly of one of their habits.

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cognitive dissonance British  

noun

1. psychol an uncomfortable mental state resulting from conflicting cognitions; usually resolved by changing some of the cognitions

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Etymology

Origin of cognitive dissonance

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

There is a cognitive dissonance in their argument, however, given that many of those same forecasters assume that strong corporate profit growth will continue unabated.

From Barron's

One way to reconcile the cognitive dissonance is to accept that gender roles are a social construct and, actually, it’s okay if women want to be firefighters and men want to be manicurists.

From Salon

The Esptein conspiracy theory is a coping mechanism for people enduring this cognitive dissonance.

From Salon

"There's a kind of cognitive dissonance" from fans, he argues.

From BBC

In 2023, the discount retailer Five Below went full cognitive dissonance with its new “Five Beyond” brand, featuring items priced above $5.

From Salon