The Psychology of Being "Always Right"

There is no single term for the refusal to admit error, but psychology offers several concepts depending on the underlying cause.

Core Concepts

1. Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms your pre-existing beliefs.

• The Mechanism: You subconsciously filter out facts that prove you wrong and only see the facts that prove you right.

2. Belief Perseverance

The tendency to cling to one's initial belief even after receiving new information that contradicts or disproves the basis of that belief.

• The Mechanism: Unlike confirmation bias (which is how you look for info), this is the active refusal to change your mind when the info is right in front of you.

3. Cognitive Dissonance

The mental discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting beliefs or values.

• The Reaction: To relieve this pain, the brain often doubles down on the original belief ("I can't be wrong because I am smart") rather than accepting the mistake, which would hurt the ego.

4. The Backfire Effect

A phenomenon where evidence that contradicts a person's belief actually makes them believe it more strongly.

• The Mechanism: The correction feels like an attack on identity, triggering a defensive response that solidifies the original stance.

5. Motivated Reasoning

The act of using emotionally-biased reasoning to produce a desired justification or conclusion.

• The Mechanism: Using intelligence to act like a lawyer defending a client (yourself), rather than a judge seeking the truth.

Quick Reference