n. a psychological phenomenon in which there is a tendency to persist with one's held beliefs despite the fact that the information is inaccurate or that evidence shows otherwise. This contrary nature shows an unwillingness to admit that the initial premise may not be true.
What is belief perseverance in psychology?
The need to preserve a constant sense of self and to stay away from the discomfort and uncertainty that can result from changing one's beliefs are common motivations for belief perseverance. Emotions, personal values, and earlier experiences may also have an impact on how people perceive new information and reinforce their preexisting opinions.
In some cases, belief perseverance may be reinforced by social factors such as group norms or cultural values, which can make it difficult for individuals to deviate from established beliefs or challenge the status quo. Despite these challenges, it is possible to overcome belief perseverance by actively seeking out new information, challenging one's assumptions, and engaging in critical thinking and self-reflection. By doing so, individuals can broaden their perspectives, develop more nuanced and informed views, and make better decisions in their personal and professional lives.
A person's ability to learn and adapt to new facts can be hampered by belief perseverance, which can result in inaccurate or irrational decision-making. It can also exacerbate social and political polarization since people may grow adamant in their opinions and reject contradictory information or viewpoints.
Theory of belief perseverance
According to the theory of belief persistence, people frequently cling to their beliefs despite evidence to the contrary. Confirmation bias is the propensity to selectively look for and give more weight to information that confirms one's ideas while disregarding or discarding evidence that contradicts them. People may find it challenging to reconsider their positions or change their thoughts as a result of this cognitive bias since they are more inclined to interpret new information in a way that confirms their preexisting opinions.
Politics, science, and healthcare are just a few of the fields where belief persistence can have a big impact. For instance, whereas scientists may be less likely to investigate alternative hypotheses that question their study findings, political partisans may be more prone to disregard data that challenges their party's position. Even when given information to the contrary, people may be unwilling to change their opinions regarding the efficacy of alternative treatments in healthcare.
Belief perseverance is a complex phenomenon that can have a profound impact on how individuals process information and make decisions. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of this bias is crucial for developing effective strategies for overcoming it and promoting more open-minded, evidence-based thinking. (Greenwald, 1980)
What causes belief perseverance?
Belief perseverance is caused by a variety of cognitive and social factors. Here are a few possible causes:
- Confirmation bias: People tend to favor information that confirms their preexisting beliefs while disregarding evidence that contradicts them. This bias can lead to the reinforcement of erroneous beliefs, even in the face of contradictory information. (Festinger,1957).
- Cognitive dissonance: Dissonance arises when an individual's beliefs conflict with new information, leading to an uncomfortable psychological state. To resolve this dissonance, people may disregard or rationalize conflicting information, allowing their initial beliefs to persist.
- Self-serving bias: People often hold beliefs that serve their self-interest or enhance their self-esteem. Consequently, they may be more resistant to changing beliefs that are personally beneficial or central to their self-concept.
Types of belief perseverance
Here are a few examples of belief perseverance:
- Self-perception perseverance: Individuals may maintain beliefs about themselves, such as their abilities, personality traits, or values, despite evidence suggesting that these beliefs are inaccurate.
- Social perception perseverance: This type of belief perseverance involves maintaining beliefs about others or social groups, even when presented with evidence that contradicts these beliefs.
- Perseverance of causal theories: People may continue to believe in a particular cause-and-effect relationship, even when faced with evidence that challenges the validity of their causal theories (Anderson, Lepper, & Ross, 1980).
Examples
There are several types of belief perseverance. Here are a few examples:
- Medical misconceptions: Belief perseverance can lead individuals to maintain erroneous beliefs about health and medical treatments, despite evidence that contradicts these beliefs. For example, some people may continue to believe that vaccines cause autism, even though numerous studies have debunked this myth.
- Political beliefs: People may persist in their political beliefs, even when confronted with evidence that challenges their views. This can contribute to polarization and difficulty in finding common ground in political discourse
- Stereotypes: Belief perseverance can play a role in the persistence of stereotypes, as individuals may continue to hold prejudiced beliefs about certain social groups, even when presented with evidence that contradicts these stereotypes
References
Anderson, C. A., Lepper, M. R., & Ross, L. (1980). Perseverance of social theories: The role of explanation in the persistence of discredited information. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(6), 1037–1049. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0077720
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1993-97948-000
Greenwald, A. G. (1980). The totalitarian ego: Fabrication and revision of personal history. American Psychologist, 35(7), 603–618. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.35.7.603
