Why Can't People Admit They Are Wrong And What Are the Consequences?

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/why-it-so-hard-police-admit-theyve-messed?paging=off

     Pointing out the errors of out peers are easy, but why is it admitting out own faults difficult? According to psychologists, cognitive dissonance is the cause. Cognitive dissonance is when a person holds two conflicting ideas, not knowing which one to follow. The person must then choose one of the ideas to settle the inner conflict. In our minds, we embrace "self-justification," or almost always viewing ourself in a positive light; however, this blinds us to our faults. Therefore, when we make a mistake, we engage in cognitive dissonance, and usually, we choose to ignore our faults, trying to find a reason to prove our point. This happens almost everyday, and usually does not cause monumental problems. What happens; however, when this psychological phenomenon interferes with the the law? In a 1998, the police coerced a false testimony from the victim's brother, making him give false details to the police. The charge against him was later dismissed, and DNA evidence years later found the real killer, but the consequences of this could have been disastrous if the judge did not overturn the case. Be wary of cognitive dissonance, as it lurks around every corner of our lives.