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psychology

Cognitive dissonance

What it means

Leon Festinger's 1957 framework: the discomfort of holding two conflicting beliefs simultaneously. Resolved by changing one belief, rationalizing, or avoiding contrary information. Drives most "I knew it all along" reconstructions + much of why facts rarely change minds.

Related concepts

Confirmation bias
Sunk cost fallacy

Cross-reference·Cognitive dissonance on Wikipedia

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