Theorists argue that eyewitnesses may try to resolve the discomfort that comes with the risk of being wrong by convincing themselves that they are positively certain about the identification. Thus they relieve their:

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This phenomenon is described by the theory of cognitive dissonance, which suggests that individuals experience discomfort when holding two or more conflicting cognitions and thus are motivated to reduce the dissonance, in this case, by increasing their certainty about their identification.

Theorists Argue That Eyewitnesses May Try to Resolve the Discomfort