cognitive dissonance

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noun Psychology.

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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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of cognitive dissonance

First recorded in 1960–65

Words nearby cognitive dissonance

cognition, cognitive, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, cognitive computing, cognitive development, cognitive dissonance, cognitive ethology, cognitive impairment, cognitive map, cognitive psychology, cognitive radio

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cognitive dissonance in a sentence

There’s an old literature in persuasion science and cognitive dissonance that says if people have made a choice that resulted in a negative consequence, the more negative the consequence, the less likely they are to believe it was a mistake.
How to Get Anyone to Do Anything (Ep. 463)|Stephen J. Dubner|May 27, 2021|Freakonomics
Even for those of us who grew up playing video games, surveying the gaming industry today is a case study in cognitive dissonance.
Gaming Advertising Forum Recap: Rapidly growing sector’s massive platforms and user diversity underestimated|jim cooper|April 20, 2021|Digiday
For working parents, such cognitive dissonance is not unique to this year.
These Mothers Wanted to Care for Their Kids and Keep Their Jobs. Now They're Suing After Being Fired|Eliana Dockterman|March 3, 2021|Time
Today’s fathers are caught in a classic case of cognitive dissonance.
We Need More Feminist Dads - Issue 95: Escape|Jordan Shapiro|February 3, 2021|Nautilus

There was, perhaps, a certain level of cognitive dissonance there, after many years of 5G hype.
Not even 5G could rescue smartphone sales in 2020|Brian Heater|December 24, 2020|TechCrunch
A big part of the reason is a simple psychological phenomenon called cognitive dissonance.
Why Didn’t Camille Dump Bill Cosby?|Amanda Marcotte|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But when the school holds a ceremony honoring the soldiers who killed her Arab brethren, she suffers clear cognitive dissonance.
What American Jews Can Learn From ‘Dove’s Cry’|Sigal Samuel|November 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The European rules create cognitive dissonance: Reality refuses to line up with their convictions.
Netanyahu & Co. Erase Israel's Economic Horizon|Gershom Gorenberg|August 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
One astutely muses about cognitive dissonance among the many conservative Republicans within the 47%.
Reader Reactions to Randian Romney|Justin Green|September 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The concept of "pinkwashing," for example, had to be developed to overcome progressive cognitive dissonance.
Nuke-Washing Iran|Gil Troy|September 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But the most common reaction is the good old cognitive dissonance.
After the Rain|Sam Vaknin
One of the classic defence mechanisms is the cognitive dissonance.
After the Rain|Sam Vaknin

British Dictionary definitions for cognitive dissonance

cognitive dissonance

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012