It has been a long, draining day at work, and by the time you head home, you are absolutely starving. You promised yourself you would eat healthier—home-cooked meals, less junk food—but the thought of chopping vegetables and standing over a stove feels unbearable right now.

Then, you spot a fast-food place up ahead. Just this once, you tell yourself, pulling into the drive-thru. As you take the first bite of your burger, a pang of guilt creeps in. I was supposed to be eating better. But almost immediately, you push the thought away. You justify it by thinking, One meal will not hurt, or I have had a long day; I deserve a treat. Just like that, the guilt fades, replaced by the comfort of crispy fries and the illusion that everything is fine, even though it conflicts with your original goal.

If this sounds familiar, you have experienced one of psychology's most interesting phenomena: cognitive dissonance, a term coined by psychologist Leon Festinger.

The first demonstration of cognitive dissonance: Festinger's 1957 experiment at Stanford University changed how we understand human behaviour. Participants were asked to do a boring task—turning pegs on a board for an hour. Afterward, they were asked to lie to another participant (an actor) and tell them the task was exciting. Some were paid $1, others $20.

When asked how enjoyable the task was, those paid $20 admitted it was boring, as their large reward justified the lie. But those paid $1 convinced themselves the task was fun. Why? They did not feel the $1 was enough to justify lying, so they changed their belief to align with their behaviour.

How cognitive dissonance affects us: This experiment revealed a crucial point: when our actions contradict our beliefs, we often change our beliefs instead of admitting inconsistency. This explains why we justify purchases we regret, stay in jobs we dislike, or defend decisions that do not align with our values.

Cognitive dissonance is powerful. For example, imagine someone who has decided to quit smoking for health reasons but lights up after a stressful day. To ease the discomfort of this contradiction, they might change their belief: smoking is not that bad, or justify the behaviour - I will quit later. This explains why habits, even harmful ones, can be so hard to break.

Using cognitive dissonance for self-improvement: Cognitive dissonance can actually be a tool for growth if we learn to use it consciously. When you feel uneasy about a decision, take a moment to reflect:

1. Why do I feel this way?

2. What belief or value is this action contradicting?

3. How can I adjust my behaviour to be more in line with my values?

For example, if you keep telling yourself you will start working out but find yourself on the couch instead, you have two choices:

1. Justify it. I will start next week.

2. Face it head-on. Admit your actions do not align with your goals and take a small step, like a 10-minute walk.

The more you act in alignment with your goals, the less you will feel the gap between your intentions and actions. Soon, your desired habits will not feel like a struggle—they will just be part of your routine.

Next time you catch yourself justifying behaviour that conflicts with your values, ask: Am I reducing cognitive dissonance, or am I making real change?

The writer is a Bangladeshi student of BA Psychology at University of Pune, India. Email: [email protected]