Have you ever been out and about, perhaps tackling the Christmas shopping list, and felt a bit thirsty? You buy a drink—say, one that comes in a plastic bottle—and quench your thirst, only to find ...

Cognitive dissonance arises when individuals hold conflicting beliefs or when behaviour runs counter to personal values, generating psychological discomfort that motivates efforts to restore ...

One of the great mysteries in both religion and politics is why people continue to hold on to fervently cherished beliefs in spite of evidence contrary to those beliefs. I will give some examples in ...

Cognitive dissonance emerges when consumers experience a clash between their beliefs or expectations and their purchasing decisions or outcomes. Originating from social psychology, the concept has ...

"We can be blind to the obvious, and we are also blind to our blindness." –Daniel Kahneman Cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon first identified by Leon Festinger in 1957, refers to the ...

You've been presented with two viable options for a new career. The first option is what you've always wanted—the role sounds like a perfect fit. But the second option comes with higher pay and better ...

Cognitive dissonance is what happens when a person holds two sets of beliefs at odds with each other. The human brain doesn’t like logical inconsistencies, so someone experiencing cognitive dissonance ...

Perhaps you remember the story of William Miller, the Baptist preacher who predicted that Jesus Christ’s second coming would occur on Oct. 22, 1844. When the advent failed to occur as Miller foretold, ...

President Trump has issued pardons or commutations for over 1,500 defendants from January 6. Despite Trump having said he was going to do it, the decision is causing shock, outrage, and despair. And I ...

In my roles as a CIO, entrepreneur, investor and Professor (I teach a course at Berklee called “The Innovator’s DNA”), I think about innovation constantly. I know from personal experience (”What ...

For years, I have tried to understand how and why so many of my family and friends, good and intelligent people, buy into the Trump-MAGA promise of quick and easy solutions to complex problems. I see ...

You could hang on to the empty bottle, or throw it in with general rubbish. If you are particularly passionate about recycling, the latter option may feel quite distressing. However, you might peek ...