Which term describes the discomfort that arises from holding conflicting beliefs or values?

The term that accurately describes the discomfort arising from holding conflicting beliefs or values is cognitive dissonance. This concept, introduced by psychologist Leon Festinger, refers to the mental discomfort experienced when an individual simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes. This dissonance often leads individuals to seek ways to reduce the discomfort by changing their beliefs, justifying their behaviors, or downplaying the importance of the conflicting ideas.

Cognitive dissonance is crucial in understanding how people navigate moral dilemmas, make decisions, and change their attitudes over time, emphasizing the psychological and emotional consequences of internal conflict. In contrast, the other terms—cognitive bias, social dissonance, and behavioral conflict—do not properly encapsulate this specific psychological phenomenon. Cognitive bias refers to systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, social dissonance is not a standard term in psychology, and behavioral conflict generally describes a struggle between different actions or behaviors rather than the internal conflict of beliefs.