Experiencing Cognitive Dissonance During COVID-19
Due to the changes brought on by the pandemic, I noticed how my consumer needs and shopping habits changed and my experiences with cognitive dissonance increased. I created the following infographic to illustrate what some of my experiences have been like as a student and consumer living in Germany.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when our actions and intentions or beliefs are not aligned. This creates a sense of discomfort and regret that affects our conscience. Post-purchase dissonance is the term used to describe the unsettling feeling we have after a regrettable purchase has been made.
On the left side of the infographic are the “beliefs” I have about my consumer experiences: I have focused on utilitarian needs, hedonic needs, and scarcity. On the right side I have shared my personal experiences of how I have experienced cognitive dissonance for each case.
![Infograph depicting how Cognitive Dissonance impacts a consumer's "beliefs" and "actions".](https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/248/2021/08/V5-new-scaled.jpg)
By Lena Müller (2021, August)
when one's actions and beliefs conflict with one another.
the term used to describe the unsettling feeling we have after a regrettable purchase has been made.