Understanding Discrepancy in Context

The concept of 'cognitive dissonance' can be challenging to grasp. It refers to the mental discomfort experienced when holding two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or ideas simultaneously. For example, a person who values health but smokes may experience cognitive dissonance. This discomfort often leads individuals to resolve the inconsistency, typically by changing their beliefs or behaviors.

In this context, consider the following sentence:

To alleviate the discrepancy between his actions and beliefs, he decided to quit smoking.