Final answer:
Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort that arises when a person holds conflicting attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs. In the given scenario, Donna experiences cognitive dissonance as she continues to drink large amounts of liquor despite knowing the negative consequences. To reduce cognitive dissonance, individuals can either change their behavior or change their belief.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is psychology, specifically the concept of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort that arises when a person holds two or more inconsistent attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs. It occurs when there is a conflict between a person's positive self-perception and their actions or beliefs.
In the given scenario, Donna knows that drinking too much liquor is bad for her health and expensive, but she continues to do so. This creates a contradiction between Donna's knowledge and her behavior, leading to cognitive dissonance. Despite feeling discomfort from this contradiction, Donna still thinks she is a smart person who makes good choices.
To reduce cognitive dissonance, individuals can change their behavior (in this case, drinking less liquor) or change their belief (in this case, discounting the negative consequences of drinking).