Adult belief change: New theoretical and empirical perspectives. Special issue introduction

Abstract Belief change in later life is understudied as it goes against the well‐established idea that political attitudes are formed early on in life and remain mostly stable thereafter. Recently, some studies have emerged that address adult belief change. However, these studies are mostly descriptive and offer relatively little insight into how, for whom, and under which conditions adult belief change takes place. This special issue on adult belief change addresses new theoretical and methodological perspectives and sets the agenda for future research on this highly relevant theme. Together, the special issue contributions provide robust evidence for changing beliefs well into adulthood. This implies that attitudes are not as fixed or settled as previously thought. A better understanding of the processes of adult belief change is vital to understand the social and psychological aspects of national and international political developments, especially in the current context of ongoing political change. The works presented in this special issue form an important starting point for further advancing research in this direction.