Leon Festinger is known for his work on cognitive dissonance theory. Describe the key principles of this theory and provide examples of how cognitive dissonance manifests in real-life situations.
A. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that individuals experience discomfort when they hold conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. An example is a person smoking despite knowing the health risks.
B. Cognitive dissonance theory posits that individuals seek to reduce this discomfort by changing their beliefs or behaviors to align with each other. An example is a person rationalizing their smoking habit by downplaying the health risks.
C. Cognitive dissonance theory proposes that individuals may also seek out information that supports their existing beliefs to reduce discomfort. An example is a smoker selectively reading articles that downplay the health risks of smoking.
D. All of the above.