What does the term 'cognitive dissonance' refer to?

Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort that arises when an individual holds two or more conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously. This discomfort often leads to psychological stress because people generally strive for harmony and consistency in their thoughts and beliefs. When faced with dissonance, individuals may feel compelled to change one of the beliefs, rationalize the inconsistency, or avoid situations that trigger this discomfort in order to restore a sense of internal balance.

This phenomenon is central to understanding how people cope with conflicting information and is a key concept in various fields of psychology, such as social psychology and behavioral psychology. It helps explain behaviors such as attitude change, justification of actions, and the motivation behind decision-making processes.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of cognitive dissonance. One focuses on emotional attachment and pain, which is not directly related to the conflict of beliefs or values. Another refers to the inability to recognize cognitive biases, which is a different cognitive process altogether. Lastly, the difficulty in rational decision-making does not specifically address the internal conflict that cognitive dissonance involves.