Cognitive Dissonance: The Immune System Construct. In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort (psychological stress) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas or values. The occurrence of cognitive dissonance occurs when confronted with new information that contradicts said beliefs, ideals and values. In A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (1957), Leon Festinger proposed that human beings strive for internal psychological consistency in order to
Cognitive Dissonance: The Immune System Construct.
