Leon Festinger

"Belief systems are reinforced when we behave in ways that support them."

"Social influence shapes not just our behavior but our very perception of reality."

"When we cannot change our circumstances, we change our interpretations of them."

"The gap between what we believe and what we do creates psychological pressure."

"We are rationalizing creatures more than we are rational ones."

"The need for consistency is a fundamental human drive, perhaps as basic as hunger."

"Our attitudes often follow our behavior rather than the reverse."

"Group membership profoundly influences what we think is true and what is right."

"The larger the discrepancy between belief and action, the greater the psychological discomfort."

"We will go to remarkable lengths to avoid admitting we were wrong."

"The process of changing our minds is inherently uncomfortable."

"Dissonance reduction is not always about changing beliefs; sometimes it's about changing behavior."

"The self-image is perhaps the most defended aspect of our personality."

"People exposed to information counter to their beliefs often become more entrenched."

"We construct our sense of self through our choices and commitments."

"The less justification someone has for their actions, the more they must change their attitudes."

"Social consensus creates a powerful validation of our beliefs."

"Fear and anxiety are often the catalysts for attitude change."

"We are all walking contradictions trying to maintain the illusion of consistency."

"The mind's drive toward coherence is neither good nor bad; it simply is."

"Understanding ourselves requires understanding the dissonance we work so hard to hide."

"Public commitment makes our beliefs stronger because we must now defend them."

"The most rigid belief systems are often those most threatened by contradiction."

"We are not objective observers of reality; we are participants in its construction."

"Behavior change can precede belief change, not just follow it."

"The feeling that something is wrong with our thinking precedes the actual realization of what it is."

"What we pay attention to is shaped by what we already believe to be important."

"The need to see ourselves as good and competent drives much of our behavior."

"Minor discrepancies between belief and action are tolerated; major ones create crisis."

"We become what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend."