Final answer:
Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort experienced when a person's actions are inconsistent with their attitudes or beliefs, leading to a conflict between belief and behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The feeling of discomfort caused by performing an action that is inconsistent with one's attitudes is known as cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon where individuals experience psychological discomfort or dissonance when they have conflicting cognitions, such as beliefs and behaviors that do not align. This was defined by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957 as the discomfort that arises from holding two or more inconsistent attitudes, behaviors, or cognitions.
For example, experiencing cognitive dissonance can occur when a person believes smoking is bad for health but continues to smoke, hence they have a conflict between belief and behavior. To reduce cognitive dissonance, individuals may bring their cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors into harmony either by changing their behavior or altering their beliefs.