What term refers to a false belief that is maintained despite evidence to the contrary?

The term that refers to a false belief maintained despite evidence to the contrary is "delusion." Delusions are often a symptom of various mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia or delusional disorder, and involve strong convictions that are not based in reality. Individuals experiencing delusions are typically resistant to accepting information or evidence that contradicts their beliefs, which underscores the nature of this phenomenon.

In contrast, "illusion" refers to a misperception of a real external stimulus, meaning the object exists but is not perceived correctly. "Hallucination" involves sensing something that is not present in the environment, such as seeing, hearing, or feeling something that does not exist. "Disillusion" describes the process of losing faith or trust in something previously held as true but does not specifically denote a false belief itself. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why "delusion" is the appropriate term for the question about false beliefs sustained despite contrary evidence.