What does "cognitive dissonance" refer to?

Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort or tension that arises when an individual holds conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously. This discomfort can lead to feelings of anxiety or unease, prompting the individual to either change one of the conflicting beliefs to reduce the dissonance or justify the discrepancy in some way. For instance, if someone values health but continues to smoke, the clash between their behavior and their belief can cause significant discomfort.

The other options, while they describe various psychological experiences, do not accurately capture the essence of cognitive dissonance. The feeling of satisfaction from achieving a goal relates more to motivation and goal fulfillment rather than internal conflict. Confusion in decision-making is a different phenomenon that may not necessarily involve conflicting beliefs but rather uncertainty in choices. Lastly, the ability to balance reasoning and emotion is an important aspect of emotional intelligence, but it does not pertain to the concept of dissonance between beliefs and values. Thus, "cognitive dissonance" specifically identifies the mental struggle to reconcile opposing ideas or behaviors.