Cognitive dissonance.
Understanding cognitive dissonance.
The invisible tension and thinking.
Cognitive dissonance describes the inner conflict that arises when a person experiences contradictory beliefs,
Values or actions.
This dissonance is widespread in our society and numerous studies show that it affects a significant proportion of the population.
Research suggests that almost everyone will experience cognitive dissonance at some point in their lives.
The experience of cognitive dissonance can manifest itself in different ways.
It ranges from mild discomfort to severe emotional turmoil.
For example,
If a person who considers themselves environmentally conscious regularly engages in environmentally damaging behaviors,
An internal conflict arises.
In the long term,
Cognitive dissonance can lead to stress,
Anxiety and even impaired mental health.
Numerous studies including work by Fessinger and Carlsmith have shown that people tend to change their attitudes in order to reduce cognitive dissonance.
However,
This can also lead to self-deception.
Resolving cognitive dissonance requires conscious effort and self-reflection.
Here are some practical tips.
Number one,
Self-acceptance.
Accept that everyone is inconsistent and don't judge yourself for contradictions.
Number two,
Raise awareness.
Consciously pay attention to inconsistencies in your beliefs and actions.
Number three,
Gradual change.
Set realistic goals for change to gradually revolve the conflict.
Examples of cognitive dissonance can show up in different areas of life,
Such as health behaviors,
Smoking despite knowing the health risks,
Financial decisions,
Spending on luxury items despite feeling financially overextended,
Interpersonal relationships,
Viewing oneself as empathetic but acting with little empathy towards others.
The best example here is cheating on your partner.
Examples of cognitive dissonance in everyday life could be environmentalism.
How can cognitive dissonance be resolved?
Overcome cognitive dissonance.
Tips and examples.
Number one,
Improve information processing.
Actively search for information that supports or refutes your beliefs.
This can help you to get a more balanced view of the situation.
Number two,
Change your perspective.
Look at things from different angles.
This helps to understand the context and identify the causes of the cognitive dissonance.
Number three,
Rethink priorities.
Think about which values and beliefs are really important to you.
Sometimes re-evaluating priorities leads to a better harmony between your beliefs.
Number four,
Encourage self-reflection.
Keep a journal or regularly reflect on your thoughts and actions.
This promotes awareness of inner conflicts.
Summary.
It is first important to recognize that you need to make adjustments.
First it is important to feel that there is a certain tension between your thinking and acting,
Between different beliefs.
This is the basis for further action and concrete steps towards a more conscious life and conscious tension relief.
Meaning you adjust to the current situation,
You adjust your thinking,
You adjust your values.
So dive into the journey of a conscious life with being more conscious about cognitive dissonance.
What are your experiences on cognitive dissonance?
Do you have examples in your life that you experienced?
Maybe you see other people in a conflict between their beliefs and actions.
Have you observed something like that?
I'd be happy if you could share an example of resolving or managing this cognitive dissonance.
By commenting you can inspire others to live a more conscious life.
So I'm happy to hear from you.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Take care and see you soon.
