Beyond Magnitude: The Role of Personal Importance in Cognitive Dissonance Reduction

In everyday life, we encounter information that contradicts our beliefs, often disrupting our self-concept and triggering cognitive dissonance. Cognitive Dissonance Theory (CDT) suggests that discrepancies between cognitions create discomfort, motivating individuals to restore psychological consistency. It indicates that the magnitude of dissonance depends on the importance of conflicting beliefs, yet the role of importance has not been fully explored. Our hypothesis posits that the importance of a cognition moderates’ motivation to reduce dissonance. Two studies (N = 640) were conducted to test how people respond to discrepancy about their abilities. Study 1 showed that dissonance led to greater motivation toward reduction, but only for those who found those abilities as important. Study 2 (with a measure of the dissonance state) confirmed that dissonance magnitude and importance interact, influencing motivation to reduce dissonance. This research expands CDT by highlighting the role of importance in dissonance reduction.