Provide an example of a time when you experienced cognitive dissonance

I'm not sure if this is allowed to say as an answer, however a good example of cognitive dissonance is something like Smoking or using drugs, despite being aware of the adverse health effects of using both tobacco and drug use.

Explanation:

Why? Cognitive dissonance is a theory in social psychology. It usually refers to the mental conflict that occurs when a person’s behaviors and beliefs do not align. Because of this, it causes feelings of unease and tension, and people attempt to relieve this discomfort in different ways. Examples include “explaining things away” or rejecting new information that conflicts with their existing beliefs.

Think of it as a stress reliever, or an outlet for contradictions. More examples can include:

1. Choosing to promote a behavior, such as regular exercise, that a person does not themselves practice.

2. Telling a lie despite the person thinking of themselves as honest.

3. Purchasing a new car that is not fuel efficient, despite being environmentally conscious.

4. Eating meat while also thinking of themselves as an animal lover who dislikes the thought of killing animals.

Although I don't really have a personal example, here's one anyways:

Let’s say a woman smokes cigarettes despite knowing it can lead to lung cancer. She continues to do it because she tells herself she needs the cigarettes to help her deal with anxiety. Or maybe she’ll say she doesn’t smoke nearly enough cigarettes for them to cause serious harm. In this example, she’s reducing the dissonance by convincing herself the behavior is okay in her mind.

Hopefully this helped! :)

I think I don't have that type of experience