---
title: "Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Festinger Explained"
description: "Festinger's Cognitive Dissonance Theory explains how people resolve discomfort from conflicting beliefs, a key concept for UPSC ethics and attitudes."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/cognitive-dissonance-theory"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Cognitive dissonance theory holds that people experience mental discomfort when holding contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours, and act to reduce that discomfort.
- How does cognitive dissonance differ from confirmation bias?
- Why is the theory tested in the UPSC GS4 ethics paper?
- What was the main challenge to Festinger's theory?
- What are the three ways people reduce dissonance?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In Festinger and Carlsmith's 1959 experiment, participants paid only one dollar to call a boring task enjoyable later genuinely rated it more enjoyable than those paid twenty dollars, who had ample justification for the lie.

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