Cognitive dissonance resolves primarily to protect self-worth, not truth

Evidence

In 1957, Leon Festinger published his pioneering book A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, in which he offered the idea that we seek harmony between our beliefs, attitudes, and behavior, and experience psychic discomfort when they are out of balance. In seeking resolution, our primary goal is to preserve our sense of self-value. — Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, 86

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Cognitive dissonance strengthens rather than weakens false beliefs under contrary evidence — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk: The Collected and Unpublished…, 1798; People experiencing cognitive dissonance often avoid or reinterpret contradictory information rather than abandoning their beliefs when confronted with truth. — Festinger’s Law; Projecting badness onto others protects the self from internal contradiction. — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 646 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Cognitive dissonance strengthens rather than weakens false beliefs under contrary evidence #expands (0.82) — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk, 1798
• Threatened self-worth increases outgroup derogation, which then restores self-esteem #corroborates (0.80) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1173
• Projecting badness onto others protects the self from internal contradiction. #corroborates (0.78) — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 646
• Sincerity can be an active ingredient of self-deception rather than its opposite #expands (0.75) — Ann Laura Stoler, Along the Archival Grain_ Epistemic…, 1405