Cognitive dissonance.
Attitude: I’m on a diet and will avoid fat food.
Behavior: Eating some high fat food.
Change behavior/cognition
(Ex: Stop eating the doughnut)
Justify behavior/cognition by changing the conflicting cognition
(Ex: “I can cheat sometimes”)
Justify behavior/cognition by adding new cognitions
(Ex: “I’ll spend 30 extra minutes at the gym to work it off”)
Ignore/Deny any information that conflicts with existing beliefs
(Ex: “I did not eat any fat. I’m always healthy.”)