MCAT® ExamCritical Analysis and Reasoning SkillsEasy
Passage: Cognitive dissonance is a psychological discomfort experienced when holding two or more conflicting cognitions (ideas, beliefs, values, emotional reactions). People are motivated to reduce this dissonance, often by changing one of the conflicting cognitions, adding new cognitions, or altering the importance of the cognitions. This phenomenon explains why individuals might rationalize choices they know are suboptimal, simply to align their actions with their beliefs. A person who has recently purchased an expensive new car, despite knowing they cannot truly afford it, begins to focus intensely on the car's advanced safety features and high resale value, downplaying its cost. This behavior is best explained by:
- ASelf-serving bias
- BFundamental attribution error
- CConfirmation bias
- DCognitive dissonance
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Cognitive dissonance
The individual is experiencing discomfort from the conflict between their action (buying an expensive car) and their belief (they can't afford it). To reduce this, they are altering the importance of cognitions by focusing on positive aspects and downplaying the negative, which is a classic example of cognitive dissonance reduction.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Self-serving bias involves attributing successes to internal factors and failures to external ones, which is not the primary mechanism described here.
- B. Fundamental attribution error involves attributing others' behavior to internal factors while underestimating external ones.
- C. Confirmation bias involves seeking out information that confirms existing beliefs, not resolving conflicting beliefs.
Cognitive Dissonance
Psychological discomfort from conflicting beliefs/actions; motivates individuals to reduce this conflict.
- Arises from conflicting cognitions (beliefs, values, actions).
- Creates psychological discomfort.
- Motivates individuals to reduce the conflict, often by changing beliefs or rationalizing actions.
Memory trick: Dissonance makes your thoughts feel 'off-key'.