Don knows that drinking too much liquor is a costly habit that is bad for his health, but he continues to drink large amounts of liquor. He also thinks he is a smart person that makes good choices. Don feels some psychological discomfort from this contradiction, which is also called
Aggressive discord
Cognitive dissonance
Perceptive deception
Peripheral dissension
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: Cognitive dissonance
Explanation:
Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept that refers to the mental discomfort or stress a person experiences when they hold two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or behaviors at the same time. In Don’s case, he believes that he is a smart person who makes good choices. However, he also continues to engage in a behavior—excessive drinking—that he knows is harmful and unwise. These conflicting thoughts cause psychological discomfort because they are inconsistent with each other.
This concept was first introduced by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957. According to Festinger, when individuals become aware of the inconsistency between their beliefs and behaviors, they experience discomfort and are motivated to reduce this tension. There are typically three ways individuals attempt to reduce cognitive dissonance:
- Change behavior – Don could choose to stop or reduce his alcohol consumption to align with his belief that he makes smart choices.
- Change cognition – He might convince himself that alcohol isn’t that bad or that he can handle it, thereby minimizing the perceived risk.
- Add new cognitions – Don could add another belief, such as “I drink to cope with stress,” to justify the behavior.
The psychological discomfort Don feels is not called aggressive discord (which is not a recognized psychological term), perceptive deception (which might imply intentional self-deception, but not the same thing), or peripheral dissension (also not a recognized term in psychology). The only scientifically valid and relevant term here is cognitive dissonance.
In summary, Don’s conflicting self-image and behavior create an internal tension, and this tension is the hallmark of cognitive dissonance. Recognizing and resolving such dissonance is essential for psychological well-being and behavioral change.