Describe the effects of cognitive dissonance on attitudes and beliefs.

Cognitive dissonance can lead to changes in attitudes and beliefs as individuals seek to reduce internal conflict and maintain consistency.

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological theory proposed by Leon Festinger in 1957. It refers to the mental discomfort or tension that an individual experiences when they hold two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes, or when their behaviour contradicts their beliefs or values. This discomfort often motivates individuals to reduce the inconsistency and restore balance, which can result in changes in attitudes and beliefs.

For instance, if a person believes in the importance of healthy eating but regularly consumes fast food, they may experience cognitive disconance. To reduce this discomfort, they might change their attitude towards fast food, convincing themselves that it's not as unhealthy as they previously thought. Alternatively, they might change their behaviour to align with their belief, by eating healthier foods more often.

Cognitive dissonance can also influence how individuals perceive and interpret information. When presented with information that contradicts their existing beliefs or attitudes, individuals may experience dissonance. To alleviate this, they might dismiss, ignore, or downplay the conflicting information, or they might change their beliefs or attitudes to accommodate the new information. This is known as confirmation bias, where individuals favour information that confirms their existing beliefs and disregard information that contradicts them.

Moreover, cognitive dissonance can lead to attitude polarisation, where individuals' attitudes become more extreme in the direction of their existing beliefs when they are exposed to contradictory information. This is because the dissonance caused by the conflicting information can make individuals feel threatened, leading them to strengthen their original attitudes as a defence mechanism.

In conclusion, cognitive dissonance plays a significant role in shaping individuals' attitudes and beliefs. It drives individuals to strive for consistency and avoid contradiction, which can lead to changes in attitudes and beliefs, selective perception and interpretation of information, and attitude polarisation. Understanding cognitive dissonance can provide valuable insights into human behaviour and decision-making processes.