The research of Wolfe and Williams is consistent with the literature on something psychologists call consistency bias: our tendency, when uncertain, to assume our present self has always held the opinions it holds today. (Location 889) #✂️

In one of the landmark papers on the topic, researchers asked the opinions of high school students about topics like the legalization of drugs, the rights of prisoners, and other contentious issues. They returned to those subjects a decade later, and then again a decade after that. They found that among those who had changed their perspectives, only 30 percent were aware. The rest said they saw the issue today the way they had always seen it. (Location 890) #✂️ #blue