Researchers have found real-world evidence that cognitive dissonance, or the psychological discomfort or tension we feel when there is an inconsistency between our cognition and our behaviour, can generate pain in the body.
Cognition is the process of acquiring knowledge and wisdom through thought, experience, and the senses.
In a study completed by Ohio State University and the University of Michigan and published in the journal Ergonomics in February, the researchers arranged 17 volunteers —nine men and eight women aged 19-44—to lift lightweight boxes and presented them with a conflicting situation where first they told them how great of a job they are doing, and then they expressed strong criticism about the quality of their work….