What is the process of reducing dissonance by changing an attitude or behavior called?

The process of reducing dissonance by changing an attitude or behavior is referred to as internal justification. This concept stems from cognitive dissonance theory, which posits that when individuals experience a conflict between their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, they are motivated to resolve this tension. One effective way to alleviate the discomfort of dissonance is to change one's internal beliefs or attitudes to align better with the behaviors that are causing the conflict.

For example, if a person engages in a behavior that contradicts their beliefs (like smoking despite knowing it’s harmful), to reduce dissonance, they might change their attitude toward smoking or re-evaluate the risks associated with it. This adjustment helps restore internal consistency and diminishes the cognitive dissonance experienced.

Other concepts like counterattitudinal advocacy, self-persuasion, and insufficient punishment relate to different mechanisms of attitude change or self-regulation, but they do not specifically address the internal alteration of beliefs to reduce dissonance as directly or comprehensively as internal justification does.