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Cognitive dissonance 0:31
A 31-second explainer of Cognitive dissonance, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.
Try the interactive Cognitive dissonance demo
What this video covers
Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs or actions - like choosing between two options and feeling the downsides - and the mind’s natural tendency to ease that tension by adjusting one of them. Rather than stay stuck in the unease, people shift their attitudes to match what they’ve done, so behaviour ends up reshaping belief.
After you committed, your ratings drifted - the option you chose looked a little better, the one you passed up a little worse. You didn't lie; your mind nudged your views to fit your choice and ease the "did I pick right?" itch. That's cognitive dissonance resolving itself, and it's why the moment just after a decision is the moment to reassure, not to second-guess.
