key term - Widely-held belief

Definition

A widely-held belief refers to a commonly accepted idea or assumption that is widely shared among a group of people.

Related terms

Stereotype:

A stereotype is a widely-held belief or oversimplified idea about a group of people based on their characteristics.

Confirmation bias: Confirmation bias refers to the tendency of individuals to seek out information that confirms their preexisting beliefs while ignoring or dismissing contradictory evidence.

Cognitive dissonance: Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable feeling experienced when there is a contradiction between an individual's beliefs and their actions or new information they encounter.