When actions and beliefs pull apart
Explore the discomfort that can arise from relevant inconsistency and some possible ways people respond.
The picture in words
- Inconsistency
- An action conflicts with a relevant belief.
- Discomfort
- The conflict can feel uncomfortable.
- Response
- A person may change behavior or reinterpret the situation.
Reading the illustration
Compare the belief card with the action card, then follow the possible responses. A meaningful inconsistency can prompt a change in action or interpretation.
Try a question
What responses could follow noticing a gap between a recycling belief and a recent action?
Show the explanation
The person might change a future action or explain the exception in a different way. Dissonance concerns a psychologically meaningful inconsistency.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-3-attitudes-and-persuasionSelected rendered passages: Dissonance subsection and attitude example.