Steadfast Beliefs

When confronted by conflicting evidence, we can either update our beliefs or categorize such evidence as an anomaly, rare, or untrue. We tend to do the latter.

Reputational Cost

To help you decide whether to believe someone, consider the reputational cost they would face if they believed something else, particularly the opposite thing. If their status, reputation, or livelihood is based on a certain belief, they are incentivized against espousing anything that would contradict such view.