How beliefs persist amid controversy: The paths to persistence model

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Belief Formation
• Societal Disagreement

Background:

• Individuals often hold firm beliefs on controversial topics, even when aware of widespread societal dissent.
• Understanding the psychological mechanisms behind belief persistence is crucial for navigating societal divisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate the paths to persistence model (PPM) explaining sustained beliefs amid societal disagreement.
• To investigate the prevalence and predictors of belief persistence across diverse controversial issues.

Main Methods:

• Developed the paths to persistence model (PPM) integrating social science insights.
• Conducted a large-scale preregistered study (N=1,250) with a U.S. census-matched sample across 96 issues.
• Utilized four additional preregistered studies (N=1,921) with open- and close-ended questions for robust validation.

Main Results:

• Most participants persisted in their beliefs, even after learning they underestimated societal dissent.
• The four paths of the PPM (informational, ontological, functional, computational) jointly predicted belief persistence.
• Belief persistence was associated with social outcomes, including willingness to engage with disagreeing individuals.

Conclusions:

• The paths to persistence model (PPM) provides a comprehensive framework for understanding belief endurance.
• Belief persistence is a robust phenomenon influenced by cognitive, social, and personal factors.
• Findings highlight the complex interplay between individual beliefs and societal disagreement, impacting social cohesion.