Once something is added to your collection of beliefs, you protect it from harm. You do it instinctively and unconsciously when confronted with attitude-inconsistent information. Just as confirmation bias shields you when you actively seek information, the backfire effect defends you when the information seeks you, when it blindsides you. Coming or going, you stick to your beliefs instead of questioning them. When someone tries to correct you, tries to dilute your misconceptions, it backfires and strengthens them instead. Over time, the backfire effect helps make you less skeptical of those things which allow you to continue seeing your beliefs and attitudes as true and proper.

A great excerpt above from a fascinating post over at You Are Not So Smart. The post is discussing the “backfire effect,” the phenomenon that seems to occur when people are presented with facts which are contrary to their original beliefs. Instead of the facts altering the persons opinions or causing the person to incorporate the new ideas into their thinking, it seems to have the opposite effect. The old beliefs become stronger.

I find this phenomenon extremely fascinating. I know that I personally have experienced this effect as I’m sure we all have to some degree. For me, It’s is plain to see that this issue is what famous “enlightened” people throughout the ages have always attempted to address in some way shape or form. From Jesus’ teachings about dying to self to Socrates’ Socratic method, and from the Empiricists and the Post-Structuralists; all of them seem to be addressing the issue that, in some profound way, claiming to have truth will in many ways keep you from gaining it.

…

Collage above by Brandi Strickland

Tags:conversationdying to selfhumilitypsychologysecond half of lifespiritual maturityYou Are Not So Smart