Recently, evidence derived from cognitive dissonance theory has been criticized, leading some to suggest that dissonance is not a thing. This post addresses those criticisms.

“Imagine a world full of brains, and far more memes than can possibly find homes. Which memes are more likely to find a safe home and get passed on again?” (Susan Blackmore, The Meme Machine) Variants ...

Cognitive dissonance is what happens when a person holds two sets of beliefs at odds with each other. The human brain doesn’t like logical inconsistencies, so someone experiencing cognitive dissonance ...

Do you ever get that nagging feeling of discomfort when your beliefs and actions don't quite line up? Like when you swear you'll stick to your budget but can't resist buying that new pair of shoes? Or ...

All of us fall prey to cognitive dissonance. My cheerful wife occasionally offers me, shall we say, suggestions for improvement. And after 50 years I have learned that she is usually right. How I wish ...

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This post was updated March 1 at 8:32 p.m. When was the last time you procrastinated? Are you doing it right now? For many college students, procrastination is one of the most common examples of ...

The holidays can be joyful, but social pressures, clashing cultural and family traditions, overeating and overspending invariably also leave many of us with a “cognitive dissonance hangover” once all ...