On the 50th anniversary of Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, scholars Elliot Aronson and Carol Tavris will present "Self-Justification in Everyday Life: What cognitive dissonance theory reveals about cheating, justice, hypocrisy, love, memory and George W. Bush."

Their 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 presentation will be held in Scrugham Engineering/Mines building room 101.

Aronson's talk will explain how and why well-meaning people often end up doing things that are immoral, unethical, foolish, inept, and cruel. Aronson was chosen by his peers as one of the top 100 psychologists of the 20th century.

Tavris will explore why many individuals suffer from cognitive blind spots, and how persons can become entrenched in the "rightness" of their behavior, even when it becomes self-destructive. She serves on the editorial board of Psychological Science in the Public Interest.

The Aronson and Tavris talk is sponsored by the Department of Psychology William James Lecture Series, Nevada Center for Ethics and Health Policy, the College of Business Administration, the interdisciplinary Social Psychology Program, Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies, the Department of Philosophy Leonard Fund, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, the Department of Sociology, and the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino