cognitive dissonance
noun /ˌkɒɡnətɪv ˈdɪsənəns/
/ˌkɑːɡnətɪv ˈdɪsənəns/
[uncountable] (psychology)- the state of having thoughts that are not consistent, especially relating to beliefs, behaviour and attitudes
- The cognitive dissonance in these arguments caused him to re-evaluate his politics.
- Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort that we feel when our deeply held beliefs do not match what is evident in reality.