Individuals can reduce cognitive dissonance by

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adding new cognitions that are consistent with their behavior is the most effective way to reduce cognitive dissonance. This involves finding or creating new thoughts, beliefs or justifications that make the conflicting thoughts or behaviors more consistent. By doing so, individuals can reduce their discomfort and cognitive dissonance. Ignoring negative cognitions or pretending not to have engaged in a behavior can create further dissonance, while decreasing arousal or reducing the total number of cognitions may not directly resolve the inconsistency.

Individuals Can Reduce Cognitive Dissonance by