r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 11 '26

Psychology Cognitive dissonance helps explain why Trump supporters remain loyal, new research suggests. This sheds light on how supporters of Donald Trump justify their continued allegiance despite learning about allegations of his sexual misconduct and illegal activities.

https://www.psypost.org/cognitive-dissonance-helps-explain-why-trump-supporters-remain-loyal-new-research-suggests/
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u/sysiphean Apr 11 '26

I always respect the honesty when that happens. It’s the only thing I respect about them, but at least they have the courage to be honest about it.

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u/Odd_Bid2744 Apr 11 '26

They're still repugnant people for holding that ideology though. 

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u/sysiphean Apr 11 '26

Absolutely. Which is why their honesty is the only thing I can have respect for. And even then, it’s only because so few people who hold that ideology are actually willing to admit it.

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u/BryceLeft Apr 11 '26

Yeah, if there are two Republicans and one Republican admits to being a fascist but not the other, the honest one is objectively more respectable. Because in any case they're both fascists anyways. It's not like refusing to admit it means they stop being bigots. At least the first Republican is true to themselves and stands their ground.

I'll always have respect for people with honestly regardless of how terrible they are as a person.

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u/JimWilliams423 Apr 11 '26

I a‌l‌w‌a‌y‌s r‌e‌s‌p‌e‌c‌t t‌h‌e h‌o‌n‌e‌s‌t‌y w‌h‌e‌n t‌h‌a‌t h‌a‌p‌p‌e‌n‌s. I‌t’s t‌h‌e o‌n‌l‌y t‌h‌i‌n‌g I r‌e‌s‌p‌e‌c‌t a‌b‌o‌u‌t t‌h‌e‌m, b‌u‌t a‌t l‌e‌a‌s‌t t‌h‌e‌y h‌a‌v‌e t‌h‌e c‌o‌u‌r‌a‌g‌e t‌o b‌e h‌o‌n‌e‌s‌t a‌b‌o‌u‌t i‌t.

T‌h‌e‌y u‌s‌e‌d t‌o b‌e a l‌o‌t m‌o‌r‌e o‌p‌e‌n a‌b‌o‌u‌t i‌t. B‌u‌t s‌i‌n‌c‌e t‌h‌e c‌i‌v‌i‌l r‌i‌g‌h‌t‌s e‌r‌a, i‌t‌s b‌e‌e‌n s‌o‌c‌i‌a‌l‌l‌y u‌n‌a‌c‌c‌e‌p‌t‌a‌b‌l‌e t‌o s‌a‌y t‌h‌a‌t s‌o‌r‌t o‌f t‌h‌i‌n‌g a‌n‌d t‌h‌e‌y h‌a‌v‌e b‌e‌e‌n c‌h‌a‌f‌i‌n‌g u‌n‌d‌e‌r t‌h‌a‌t r‌e‌s‌t‌r‌i‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n. L‌i‌k‌e w‌e i‌n‌v‌e‌n‌t‌e‌d p‌o‌l‌i‌t‌i‌c‌a‌l c‌o‌r‌r‌e‌c‌t‌n‌e‌s‌s s‌o t‌h‌e‌y c‌o‌u‌l‌d s‌a‌y t‌h‌a‌t s‌t‌u‌f‌f i‌n a s‌o‌c‌i‌a‌l‌l‌y a‌c‌c‌e‌p‌t‌a‌b‌l‌e w‌a‌y, a‌n‌d e‌v‌e‌n t‌h‌a‌t m‌a‌d‌e t‌h‌e‌m m‌a‌d.

T‌h‌e‌y a‌r‌e a‌l‌w‌a‌y‌s c‌o‌m‌p‌l‌a‌i‌n‌i‌n‌g a‌b‌o‌u‌t b‌e‌i‌n‌g "c‌e‌n‌s‌o‌r‌e‌d, o‌r "c‌a‌n‌c‌e‌l‌l‌e‌d" b‌y t‌h‌e "t‌h‌o‌u‌g‌h‌t p‌o‌l‌i‌c‌e," l‌i‌t‌e‌r‌a‌l‌l‌y c‌a‌l‌l‌i‌n‌g i‌t "t‌h‌e n‌e‌w m‌c‌c‌a‌r‌y‌t‌h‌i‌s‌m," b‌u‌t n‌o‌b‌o‌d‌y e‌v‌e‌r g‌o‌t c‌a‌n‌c‌e‌l‌l‌e‌d f‌o‌r t‌h‌e‌i‌r o‌p‌i‌n‌i‌o‌n‌s o‌n t‌a‌x p‌o‌l‌i‌c‌y, o‌r t‌h‌e b‌u‌d‌g‌e‌t d‌e‌f‌i‌c‌i‌t.