Final answer:
Cognitive dissonance refers to the uncomfortable psychological state that occurs when a person's actions, attitudes, or beliefs are inconsistent with their positive self-image, leading to a motivation to reduce this dissonance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cognitive dissonance is a term coined by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957 to describe the psychological discomfort that arises from a conflict in a person's behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs that runs counter to their positive self-perception. For instance, if an individual believes that smoking is harmful to health but continues to smoke, they face a conflict between their belief and their behavior, leading to cognitive dissonance. This dissonance can be psychologically, physically, and mentally uncomfortable, and individuals are motivated to reduce it by aligning their cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors to achieve harmony.
Subsequent research by Greenwald & Ronis in 1978 indicated that cognitive dissonance primarily affects beliefs related to an individual's positive self-image. Further studies, like those by Croyle & Cooper in 1983 and van Veen et al. in 2009, also showed that dissonance is linked to physiological arousal and brain regions associated with emotions and cognitive functions.
To overcome cognitive biases and engage in critical reflection, it's essential to practice metacognition - which is thinking about thinking. Metacognition involves higher-order thinking skills that can help resist automatic, error-prone thought processes in favor of more reflective, critical thinking.