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Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Dissonance01:38

Cognitive Dissonance

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Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
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Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
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Motivational Bias01:25

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Cognitive bias results from limitations in thinking and information processing, leading to systematic errors in judgment. Conversely, motivational bias stems from personal desires or emotions, causing distortions in perception to align with self-interest. Motivational bias influences how individuals perceive and attribute causes to events, often shaped by personal needs, goals, and self-esteem preservation. This bias can distort judgment, leading to inaccurate assessments of success, failure,...
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Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects01:29

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Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
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Deindividuation is a form of social influence on an individual’s behavior such that the individual engages in unusual or non-normal behavior while in a group setting. Why? Because in these group settings, the individual no longer sees themselves as an individual anymore, disinhibiting their behavior and personal restraint.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance
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Cognitive dissonance induction in everyday life: An fMRI study.

Jan de Vries1, Mark Byrne, Elizabeth Kehoe

  • 1a School of Nursing and Midwifery , Trinity College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.

Social Neuroscience
|December 16, 2014
PubMed
Summary

This study used fMRI to investigate cognitive dissonance. Results show that experiencing cognitive dissonance activates key brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula.

Keywords:
Anterior cingulate cortexCognitive conflictCognitive dissonanceDissonance inductionInsulafMRI

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Cognitive dissonance theory explains discomfort from conflicting beliefs or behaviors.
  • Neuroimaging studies have begun to explore the neural basis of cognitive dissonance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural substrates of cognitive dissonance during its induction using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
  • To compare brain activation during dissonance induction with control conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a novel task to induce cognitive dissonance by presenting participants with personal experiences inconsistent with their stated values.
  • Utilized fMRI with a whole-brain analysis approach during a randomized design comparing dissonance induction with justification, consonance, and non-self-related inconsistency conditions.
  • Included 14 participants in the fMRI study.

Main Results:

  • Dissonance induction led to significantly higher neural activation in specific brain regions compared to control conditions.
  • Key regions showing increased activation during dissonance included the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), anterior insula, inferior frontal gyrus, and precuneus.
  • Observed less extensive prefrontal cortex activation than some prior studies, aligning with the focus on dissonance induction.

Conclusions:

  • Findings support the role of the anterior cingulate cortex and insula in processing cognitive dissonance.
  • The study highlights specific neural correlates associated with the induction phase of cognitive dissonance.