Understanding Cognitive Dissonance

Why do some people continue to smoke despite knowing the health risks?

• Smoking is not harmful.

• They experience cognitive dissonance.

• Nicotine is not addictive.

• They are unaware of the risks.

What is cognitive dissonance?

• A state of mental comfort from consistent beliefs.

• A state of mental discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs.

• A type of addiction.

• A physical reaction to stress.

According to Festinger, what motivates people to minimize cognitive dissonance?

• The desire for social acceptance.

• The need for mental discomfort.

• The drive to maintain consistency in beliefs.

• The urge to try new experiences.

How do smokers justify their habit despite knowing the risks?

• By increasing their smoking frequency.

• By quitting immediately.

• By reasoning that smoking is not as harmful as other habits.

• By ignoring the risks completely.

What role does cognitive dissonance play in the spread of fake news?

• It makes people indifferent to news.

• It leads people to accept information that aligns with their beliefs.

• It helps people identify false information.

• It encourages people to research thoroughly.

How can peer pressure lead to cognitive dissonance?

• By reducing the influence of group norms.

• By creating a conflict between personal beliefs and group actions.

• By aligning personal beliefs with group norms.

• By encouraging independent thinking.

What is a suggested method to manage cognitive dissonance?

• Ignoring discomfort.

• Accepting all information as true.

• Practicing mindfulness to increase awareness.

• Avoiding new information.

Why is it important to be aware of cognitive dissonance?

• To ignore conflicting information.

• To make well-informed decisions and avoid discomfort.

• To ensure all decisions are made quickly.

• To avoid making any decisions.

What should you do when someone challenges your viewpoints?

• Allow yourself to feel uncomfortable and research their claims.

• Dismiss their opinion as invalid.

• Ignore them completely.

• Immediately change your viewpoint.

What is the potential risk of not managing cognitive dissonance effectively?

• Making well-informed decisions.

• Avoiding all conflicts.

• Ending up in a complicated situation due to poor decisions.

• Experiencing no discomfort.