I was working on my theory section on my thesis when I got to Edgar Schein. You probably don't know him but he is well known for his treatment of both PoW's from North-Korea and in the change literature as one of the proponents of planned change. Part of on of his articles deals with changing basic believe systems. This next section is an excerpt from my thesis and a summary of a section of his article (Schein, 1996) -

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He found that to actively change a system three conditions are necessary –

1. Disconfirmation. The idea that certain information or dissatisfaction does not stroke with our ideas and hopes.
2. Induction of guilt or survival anxiety. Because disconfirmation can be looked over if we chose to ignore information or our feelings, people should accept the dissatisfaction or information as valid. The defensive stance preceding this validation is inherent to what Schein calls “learning anxiety”. Learning that what we believed is flawed, makes us imperfect, defenseless, maybe even lose our identity because of what we learn causes anxiety. Dealing properly with this anxiety to form change is the key according to Schein.
3. Cognitive redefinition. Basically taking in new information that redefines what we know. Schein uses here the example of the PoW’s again who, after going through the first two steps desired new information and got it from a role-model. Other prisoners, the guards, etc.

This last notion, the desire to get new information and take it from the nearest credible or desired source is what shows the possible value of the change agent. If a change agent is able to shake loose certain believes he can create change through forming a new system of believes.

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Now, this kind of remind you something, including the believe set :D? I believe that not only the Sony fans but all of us go through this (this just happens to be mostly geared to sony fans because of the ironic change of ways of believing your own cognitive functions). Every time we are faced with anything we don't like, we try to find something that re-affirms our believe of self-worth and try to find a change agent, someone we can believe in to redefine how we think. That's how leaders rise up and make certain ideas populair

I'm not a Sony fan. I just prefer the PS3 to Xbox 360. Just like I prefer the Xbox to PS2.

Interesting. I'd more attribute it to something else (politics, god, etc.) but it can work for also other biases as well. Of course this didn't take a study to figure out. People want to feel affirmed, and unfortunately will do anything to obtain that whether they self-consciously know it or not. There is a sense of security in knowing what you believe has merit too it.

Personally I try to get pass such things, but it plagues us all.

I've been saying this again and again:

Fanboyism is the result of two things.

1.) The desire to be in the right; it makes no sense to the average human brain to be in the wrong.

Example:

Sony fanboy: MGS4 will outsell every 360 game out there!

Sony fanboy: Impressive sales, it's outselling MGS3!

2.) The desire to be better than the 'other'; "my boat is bigger than yours".

Example:

360 fanboy: Halo is far better than any PS3 game!
Sony fanboy: Killzone 2 is better than Halo!
360 fanboy: Oh yeah?? WE HAVE GEARS OF WAR!
Sony fanboy: UNCHARTED > GEARS!
etc.

And to achieve these two desires, a person will go ahead and change whatever belief he has. He will turn traitor to whatever just to achieve a sense of satisfaction in his mind.