Can Accurate Information Change Identity-Linked Political Beliefs? Evidence From Republicans’ Attitudes Towards Election Integrity

Psychological research suggests that identity shapes beliefs and impedes updating in response to contrary evidence. A prominent example is many Republicans’ persistence in believing that the 2020 election was stolen. We test whether credible factual information can shift Republicans' beliefs about election integrity. Immediately before the 2024 presidential election, we randomly assigned 861 conservative Republicans to an intensive informational intervention or a control matched with civic content. The intervention presented extensive, accurate, politically balanced evidence and encouraged sustained engagement. Treated participants reported stronger beliefs in US election integrity overall, greater confidence in the 2020 election, and more positive expectations for the 2024 election (.5 < ds < .8), including those who started lower in electoral confidence (.5 < ds < .97). Effects were still detectable two weeks later, after Trump’s victory. Though learning was incentivized, belief reporting was not – showing that when attended to, credible balanced evidence can change minds.