Cognitive dissonance describes the psychological discomfort

Position 1: This mechanism helps explain why people often resist factual corrections that threaten deeply held attitudes, a pattern with significant implications for public communication.

Position 2: Leon Festinger first articulated this theory in 1957, demonstrating that people are strongly motivated to resolve such internal inconsistencies.

Position 3: Alternatively, individuals may seek new information that supports the belief they wish to retain, effectively rationalising their existing behaviour.

Position 4: Cognitive dissonance describes the psychological discomfort individuals experience when they hold two or more contradictory beliefs simultaneously.

Position 5: One common resolution strategy is to change one of the conflicting beliefs to align it with the other.