The Psychology of Holding On to Beliefs

"You don't have to go far to see how pervasive the conflicts surrounding elections, public health, climate, war, identity, and even basic facts have become. Look at the news apps, scroll through social media, or listen in on your family while they are having dinner. You will see the common thread throughout these topics and how they frequently spill over from governmental settings and boundary lines into personal relationships, workplaces, and homes."

"That's because beliefs don't usually feel like opinions we chose. They feel more like the background hum of daily life. They are constantly present in our lives, but we rarely reflect on how they shape our perception of the world around us. Many of us have incorporated these beliefs and values into our lives long before we can articulate why we have them or challenge them. Over time, they become entrenched in how we think about politics, health, relationships, values, and even ourselves."

Conflicts over elections, public health, climate, war, identity, and facts have become pervasive across media, workplaces, and homes. Many disputes are driven less by factual disagreement than by deeper clashes in belief, causing people to interpret the same headline as if living in different realities. Beliefs function as background assumptions that feel personal and automatic rather than optional opinions, shaping perception without conscious reflection. People adopt beliefs and values early, embedding them into identity before they can articulate or challenge them. Research shows beliefs can change, but change rarely follows linear, evidence-driven paths and is typically difficult. Change occurs more readily within emotionally safe, trusting relationships and when education addresses emotion, meaning, and uncertainty.

Read at Psychology Today