What does dissonant cognition involve?

Dissonant cognition involves a mental discomfort that arises when a person holds two conflicting thoughts or beliefs. Specifically, it occurs when one positive statement contradicts a negative statement. This inconsistency leads to psychological tension, motivating the individual to resolve the dissonance, often by changing their beliefs or behaviors. For instance, if someone values health but smokes cigarettes, this creates a conflict between their positive attitude towards health and the negative consequences of smoking. Managing this dissonance is a critical aspect of understanding consumer behavior, as consumers may change their perceptions or rationalize their decisions to alleviate discomfort.

In contrast, having two positive statements or two negative statements does not create this dissonance, as the thoughts are aligned and not in conflict with each other. Therefore, it is the combination of one positive and one negative statement that truly encapsulates the concept of dissonant cognition.