Belief perseverance is maintaining a belief despite new information that firmly contradicts it. Such beliefs may even be strengthened when others attempt to present evidence debunking them, a phenomenon known as the backfire effect.

Here’s a brilliant 4-part podcast series on the Backfire Effect and a separate article that further breaks down the psychology of why we have a hard time changing our minds.

Lastly, here’s an observation by Steven Hassan, a renowned expert in high-demand organizations and institutional manipulation: “Certitude is not evidence of truth. Nor does repetition make it true. If anything, repetition should make you suspicious. Truth always stands up to scrutiny on its merits.”

Truth is not useful in persuading people to think differently, but their readiness is.

The concept of truth, especially to people who’ve been indoctrinated by birth, is highly subjective. In the LDS worldview, we’re taught to “know the truth of all things” by feeling the Spirit.

No matter how much truth you possess, the evidence at your side, and the agony you feel holding your untold story - until a person is ready to hear the message, it will not work.

Here are a few resources to learn more:

You Are Not So Smart: The Backfire Effect

Elevation is an emotional response we experience when we witness virtuous acts of remarkable moral goodness.

It’s experienced as a distinct feeling of warmth and expansion, then accompanied by appreciation and affection for the individual whose exceptional conduct is being observed.

Mormons identify this emotion as “the Spirit.”

A cognitive bias are blind spots. They’re errors in thinking that happen when we process or interpret information in the world around us.

Bias affects the decisions and judgments that we make.

Although the human mind is powerful, this is our universal handicap.

The Halo/Horn Effect is a cognitive bias that attributes positive or negative feelings depending on whether or not a person belongs to our in-group.

People who hold opposing views are often dismissed, feared or demonized, while those who share a world , religious or spiritual views are seen as trustworthy and good.