| Gamerace said: Auron is right we're getting into changing actions as well as beliefs, but yes, you can change your beliefs on a whim as long as you have a desire to change it equal or greater than the benefits of maintaining the current belief. The reason people don't usually change their belief is they have something either pleasure inducing or pain relieving associated to that belief. IE: The belief that a relationship is wonderful to have will lead to having a wonderful relationship - a pleasant experience (or so you believe). Now if you just got out of a painful breakup that belief may change. Now if you want to change it on a whim, then you can do so by convincing yourself that relationships just lead to painful breakups, prior to having one - this belief would be pain relieving then. Why on earth you would want to is beyond me, but for arguments sake, yes, it's doable. |
That's not changing your beliefs, that changing actions based on a punishment/reward system. It's just a behavioral explanation. The belief system becomes a justification for the actions. You're giving an example and then proving the point by manufacturing an outcome that proves your point. It's not very convincing.
