Defining cognitive dissonance, this program with Betsy Sparrow examines cognitive dissonance. It discusses Leon Festinger's 1956 book When Prophecy Fails; examines research into cognitive dissonance by key figures, and outlines the essential components of cognitive dissonance as defined by Joel Cooper and Russel Fazio of Princeton University. The program considers cognitive dissonance as a motivator for human behavior; describes its applications to such areas as effort justification, threat and punishment, decision making, and self-concepts; and emphasizes that cognitive dissonance enables individuals to make peace with personal decisions.