Denialism

In <a href="/facts/Psychology/duoqW7Sz">psychology</a>, denialism is a person's choice to <a href="/facts/Denial/ocwhQm6V">deny</a> reality as a way to avoid believing in a uncomfortable <a href="/facts/Truth/NyQmBtUC">truth</a>. Denialism is an essentially <a href="/facts/Irrational/UQEGMC85">irrational</a> <a href="/facts/Human_behavior/AnYA87pl">human behavior</a> that withholds the validation of a historical experience or event when a person refuses to accept an <a href="/facts/Empirical/JUaYSGJc">empirically</a> verifiable reality.
In the sciences, denialism is the rejection of basic facts and concepts that are undisputed, well-supported parts of the <a href="/facts/Scientific_consensus/DrTWaQIy">scientific consensus</a> on a subject, in favor of ideas that are radical, controversial, or fabricated. Examples include <a href="/facts/Holocaust_denial/PLP99orD">Holocaust denial</a>, <a href="/facts/AIDS_denialism/racCu0un">AIDS denialism</a>, and <a href="/facts/Climate_change_denial/uEz4S5qL">climate change denial</a>. The forms of denialism present the common feature of the person rejecting overwhelming evidence and trying to generate political <a href="/facts/Controversy/JGAGcPeU">controversy</a> in attempts to deny the existence of consensus.
The motivations and causes of denialism include religion, self-interest (economic, political, or financial), and <a href="/facts/Defence_mechanism/DElFgLaE">defence mechanisms</a> meant to protect the <a href="/facts/Psyche/MjBrAUax">psyche</a> of the denialist against mentally disturbing facts and ideas; such disturbance is called <a href="/facts/Cognitive_dissonance/j0xK7w6S">cognitive dissonance</a>.

Denialism open-in-new

Denialism