Social Identity Modulates Belief Change in Adolescents

Evidence From a Dyadic Retrieval Practice Paradigm

Bibliographic Data

ID21444524
AuthorsJiaqi Liu (0000-0003-3335-7164, Faculty of Psychology Tianjin Normal University Tianjin China), Lingru Pei (Faculty of Psychology Tianjin Normal University Tianjin China), Yue Zhang (0000-0003-1198-882X, Faculty of Psychology Tianjin Normal University Tianjin China), Juan Du (0000-0001-7846-1905, Tianjin Yixin Rehabilitation Center for Children With Autism Tianjin China), Huan Zhang (0000-0002-0191-9065, Faculty of Psychology Tianjin Normal University Tianjin China, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume98
Issue3
Pages848-856
Publication date2026-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-1971 • E-ISSN: 1095-9254
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jad.70096
PMID41486977
OpenAlexW7118173621
LanguageEN
References cited37

BACKGROUND: In everyday family and school contexts, adolescents frequently experience belief changes that profoundly shape their subsequent behaviors. However, the mechanisms underlying such belief change remain insufficiently understood, particularly among adolescents at an important stage of cognitive and social development. METHODS: = 15.68, SD = 0.84; range = 14-17 years) from a high school in China participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to in-group or out-group conditions using a minimal group paradigm. Across the learning, retrieval, recall, and re-judgment phases-designed to simulate authentic information transmission-we assessed memory and belief change in adolescents. All procedures were reviewed and approved by the local institutional ethics committee. RESULTS: When speakers were members of the listeners' in-group, adolescents exhibited significant retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) and belief inhibition effects. These effects were not observed when the speakers belonged to the out-group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that adolescents' belief change is modulated by the social identity of the information source. The study deepens understanding of belief formation and socialization during adolescence and provides practical implications for educational approaches, such as group-based error correction.

Belief system · Identity (music) · Identity change · Social change · Social identity approach · Social identity theory · Social information processing · Socialization · Child and Animal Learning Development · Memory Processes and Influences · Social and Intergroup Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access