Dissonance

Mental friction between two contradicting beliefs.

Family Cognitive
Valence negative
Arousal moderate activation
Intensity Gentle
Opposite Consonance

Mental friction between two contradicting beliefs. The body holds this signal first, often before the mind has named what is happening.

Where dissonance lives in the body

Head
Pressure, fullness, mental load
Moderate
Chest
A faint pull
Quiet
Stomach
A gentle stir
Quiet

Related emotions

AmbivalenceCognitive familyConfusionCognitive familyDoubtCognitive familyConsonanceThe opposite
A note on this entry: The data on this page (definition, body sensations, valence, arousal, related emotions) reflects a structured reference for dissonance. A full long-form entry is being added gradually. If you have research, a translation, or a body-mapping correction to suggest, please get in touch.