Belief perseverance is the tendency to hold onto one's beliefs even when faced with new information that contradicts those beliefs. This cognitive bias demonstrates a form of irrationality, where an individual refuses to adapt their views despite clear evidence that their original beliefs may be wrong. This resistance to change can be psychologically driven as individuals seek internal consistency within their belief systems.
A well-known example of belief perseverance occurred with members of a doomsday cult in the 1950s who believed the world would end on December 21, 1954. Despite the failure of the prophecy, many adherents continued to maintain their beliefs even more strongly after the predicted date passed.
To overcome belief perseverance, individuals can practice open-mindedness by actively seeking out and considering opposing viewpoints, and by looking for evidence that challenges their beliefs, rather than reinforcing them.