Jeremiah grew up in a family where college is of utmost importance. His parents and siblings have all graduated from prestigious colleges. When Jeremiah does not get accepted to the college of his choice, he decides to change his plans for the future. He begins to feel that education is overrated and that it would be better to seek employment before getting any older. This motivation to change a belief or behavior to avoid a distressing feeling is part of what theory?

Question

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Changing a belief or behavior to avoid a distressing feeling is an example of cognitive dissonance. Social psychologist Leon Festinger is known for his theories on cognitive dissonance. Individuals will change their attitude towards something if they feel it may result in failure. Important issues with greater discrepancy between behavior and belief will cause a higher degree of dissonance.

Jeremiah Grew Up in a Family Where College Is of Utmost