TOEFL Speaking Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'cognitive dissonance' refers to the mental discomfort experienced when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes, especially when their behavior conflicts with their beliefs. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often change their attitudes, beliefs, or actions, or rationalize their behavior. This theory, first proposed by Leon Festinger, suggests that people strive for internal consistency and will go to great lengths to achieve psychological harmony, even if it means altering their perception of reality.

Professor: Let me give you a classic example from my own research. I had a student, Sarah, who strongly believed that smoking was harmful and she often lectured her friends about quitting. However, Sarah herself started smoking during a stressful semester. To her surprise, she felt uneasy—not just from the smoke, but from a deep discomfort. She knew smoking was wrong, yet she was doing it. To reduce this dissonance, Sarah didn't quit. Instead, she began to tell herself, 'Well, I only smoke when I'm really stressed, and it helps me focus. It's not like I'm a heavy smoker.' She also started downplaying the health risks, saying things like 'Everything is risky these days, and my grandfather smoked and lived to 90.' Over time, she actually changed her core belief—she now argues that moderate smoking isn't as bad as people say. So, instead of changing her behavior, she changed her attitude to match her actions.