Cognitive dissonance theory, first proposed by social psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957, posits that individuals experience a state of psychological discomfort when they hold two or more incongruent cognitions—ideas, beliefs, or values—or when their behavior conflicts with their established beliefs. This state of internal inconsistency is hypothesized to generate a motivational drive to restore consonance, thereby ameliorating the unpleasant feeling. Individuals may employ several strategies to achieve this equilibrium. These include altering one's behavior to align with a belief, modifying a belief to justify a behavior, or acquiring new information that outweighs the dissonant cognitions. The theory's explanatory power is particularly potent in understanding post-decision justification, wherein individuals, having made a difficult choice, tend to enhance their evaluation of the chosen alternative and devalue the rejected one. This cognitive re-evaluation serves to rationalize their decision and mitigate any lingering doubt. The applications of this principle are pervasive, extending from consumer behavior, where buyers justify expensive purchases, to political allegiance, where voters might overlook a favored candidate's flaws. While the theory has prompted significant epistemological debate regarding its testability and precise mechanisms, its fundamental premise—that humans are not purely rational beings but are instead rationalizing ones—remains a cornerstone of modern social psychology, offering profound insights into the intricate relationship between attitude and action.