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Belief perseverance

Continuing to hold a belief after the original evidence for it has been discredited.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

Belief perseverance occurs when an initial explanation or impression survives even after its supporting information is corrected. Revision improves when the false support is explicitly withdrawn and replaced with a credible alternative account.

Sources

Confirmation Bias: A Ubiquitous Phenomenon in Many Guises

Review of General Psychology / 1998 / Paper

Broad review of belief-protective search, interpretation, and memory patterns.