Which concept explains the discomfort that motivates avoidance of inconsistent cognitions?

Which concept explains the discomfort that motivates avoidance of inconsistent cognitions?

• A. Contextual Worldview
• B. Cognitive Dissonance
• C. Maturation
• D. Psychosis

Answer: (B)

Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort that occurs when a person holds conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or values, or when their behavior contradicts those beliefs. That tension motivates people to reduce the discomfort, often by avoiding ideas or information that would highlight the inconsistency, or by changing thoughts or actions to restore harmony. For example, someone who values health but smokes may downplay the risks or rationalize the behavior to ease the feel of conflict. The other options don’t describe this tension-driven process: contextual worldview isn’t the mechanism for tension from inconsistency, maturation refers to development over time, and psychosis describes a clinical condition with distorted reality rather than a motive to avoid conflicting cognitions.

Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort that occurs when a person holds conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or values, or when their behavior contradicts those beliefs. That tension motivates people to reduce the discomfort, often by avoiding ideas or information that would highlight the inconsistency, or by changing thoughts or actions to restore harmony. For example, someone who values health but smokes may downplay the risks or rationalize the behavior to ease the feel of conflict. The other options don’t describe this tension-driven process: contextual worldview isn’t the mechanism for tension from inconsistency, maturation refers to development over time, and psychosis describes a clinical condition with distorted reality rather than a motive to avoid conflicting cognitions.