What cognitive phenomenon involves the method by which beliefs gain strength through reiteration?

The phenomenon that describes how beliefs become reinforced and gain strength through reiteration is known as availability cascade. This occurs when an idea or belief becomes more prominent and widely accepted as it is repeatedly shared and discussed within a community or society. The constant reiteration of this belief leads individuals to perceive it as more plausible or valid due to its familiarity.

For instance, if a particular idea is frequently presented in media or conversations, people are more likely to accept it as true simply because they have heard it multiple times. This effect illustrates how exposure can shape public perception and belief systems, independent of the original evidence supporting the idea.

In contrast, other concepts like focalism, self-serving bias, and cognitive rehearsal do not specifically address the growth of belief strength through reiteration. Focalism relates to the tendency to focus on certain aspects of an event while ignoring others; self-serving bias involves attributing successes to oneself and failures to external factors; and cognitive rehearsal refers to the mental practice or repetition of information to enhance memory retention. Thus, while these concepts play important roles in cognitive psychology, they do not encapsulate the same mechanism of belief reinforcement as availability cascade does.