Understanding Cognitive Dissonance
This worksheet introduces 7th graders to the concept of cognitive dissonance, exploring how conflicting beliefs and actions create discomfort and how individuals resolve it.
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Understanding Cognitive Dissonance
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will help you understand cognitive dissonance, a psychological concept about conflicting thoughts and actions.
What is Cognitive Dissonance?
Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. This discomfort is also triggered by performing an action that goes against one's belief, ideas, or values. People often try to reduce this discomfort in various ways.
1. Cognitive dissonance causes mental when a person has conflicting beliefs or actions.
2. When your actions do not match your , you might experience cognitive dissonance.
3. To reduce cognitive dissonance, people often try to change their beliefs or .
4. Which of the following best describes cognitive dissonance?
Feeling happy when you achieve a goal.
The discomfort of holding contradictory ideas.
Being confused by a difficult math problem.
Excitement before a big event.
5. Cognitive dissonance only occurs when a person is lying.
True
False
6. Describe a situation where you might experience cognitive dissonance. How could you resolve it?