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What do people do when their actions conflict with their beliefs?

Imagine someone who values punctuality arriving late again. They might change their behavior, reconsider the belief, or explain why this occasion was different. Cognitive dissonance offers a way to investigate the discomfort of inconsistency, while leaving open which response a particular person chooses.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • When does an explanation resolve the conflict, and when might it simply excuse it?

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