(C Common Coping Responses or, How to resolve cognitive dissonance The most effective way to resolve cognitive dissonance is for a person to ensure that their actions are consistent with their values, or vice versa. A person can achieve this by: e Modifying beliefs which means Changing their thoughts: This is the simplest option, but it also is more difficult to pull off when the belief is important to you.e Modifying or, Changing their actions: Whatever you did might have caused so much guilt and shame that you swear you'll never do it again. Changing your future actions could resolve the dissonance and make you feel better about the situation. e Modifying or, Changing their perception of the actions: If a person cannot or does not want to change the behavior or beliefs that cause dissonance, they may view the behavior differently instead. For example, a person who cannot afford to buy from sustainable brands might forgive themselves for this and acknowledge that they are doing the best they can.