Core beliefs are deeply held beliefs that inform how people see themselves and the world. They have a large influence on people’s perceptions and decision making.
Core beliefs can be helpful, unhelpful, or neutral. Unhelpful or unrealistic core beliefs may negatively affect a person’s mental health and overall life satisfaction.
However, because core beliefs form such a large part of a person’s worldview, a person may find it difficult to identify them. It also takes time and effort to change core beliefs.
The notion of core beliefs is central to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Aaron Temkin Beck, whose cognitive theory informed CBT, argued that a person’s core beliefs help govern their interactions with the world, their response to stress, and their relationships.
Core beliefs are strong beliefs a person holds consistently over time that inform their worldview and self-perception. These beliefs function as learned or assumed “rules” for how the world works and a person’s role within it.
These beliefs
As well as beliefs about themselves, a person’s core beliefs also include their general perceptions of others, such as the belief that humans are mostly good or mostly bad. A person can hold core beliefs that are inconsistent with one another.
Any deep belief that is fundamental to a person’s interactions with the world or their sense of self is a core belief. Core beliefs can be positive, negative, or neutral. Here are some examples:
| Self-related core beliefs | “I am likable.” “I have likable qualities.” “I deserve love.” “I have a lot to offer other people and the world.” “I am intelligent and resourceful.” “I will succeed.” “I am a capable person.” “I am always improving.” “I am unlovable.” “Nobody wants me.” “I am a boring person.” “I am worthless.” “I cannot trust my judgment.” |
|---|---|
| Core beliefs related to others | “People are fundamentally good.” “Everyone deserves compassion.” “Everyone is capable of good.” “People are fundamentally selfish and unkind.” “People will always let me down.” “People are untrustworthy.” “Others will judge me.” “Others will hurt me.” |
| World-related core beliefs | “Everyone has the ability to change.” “The world is full of progress and opportunities.” “The world is filled with beauty.” “The world is filled with more joy than pain.” “The world contains good and bad.” “The world is a dangerous place.” “The world is fundamentally unfair.” “Life is unfair.” |
Core beliefs develop in response to a person’s experiences. They begin developing in early childhood and continue developing over time.
As a child grows up, they try to make sense of what is happening around them or to them. In trying to find meaning or learn from this, they develop a set of beliefs.
Because core beliefs start to develop so early, they are not always based on balanced or informed opinions. People can unknowingly absorb messages from family, friends, teachers, and the media, and those messages may influence their worldview in positive or negative ways.
To identify core beliefs, a person can try the following process:
- Noticing thoughts: A person can begin by paying more attention to their automatic thoughts. These are the thoughts people often do not notice that occur in response to everyday events and can help our brain make sense of what is happening. By becoming more aware of them, a person can start to note any consistent themes or patterns.
- Keeping a diary: It can help to keep a diary for several weeks to record these thoughts and associated feelings. People can focus on times of intense emotion or stress, such as a fight with a loved one, and write down the thoughts that occurred in the moments when they felt stress or strong emotions. Later, they can review the diary to look for patterns.
- Asking questions: Once a person notices a pattern in their thoughts, they can start to explore the underlying core beliefs. For example, a person who worries about being late might consider what they think being late might mean about them, or why it matters. They may believe they must be perfect, and that if they are not perfect, they are not likable.
- Considering the evidence: A person can then start to think about beliefs they hold that do not have evidence to back them up. They may seek more evidence for or against the belief and see if the belief changes through this process.
Many therapists offer core beliefs worksheets or inventories that people can use to review common core beliefs and assess which ones they may hold.
Core beliefs play an important role in CBT. This type of psychotherapy focuses on helping a person identify connections among their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
CBT therapists encourage their clients to identify unhelpful automatic thoughts. Once a person understands the role these thoughts play in affecting their emotions, they can work to adjust and replace these thoughts with ones that may be more reasonable, balanced, and accurate.
Core beliefs can influence in-the-moment thoughts and significantly affect a person’s life. For example, if a person holds the core belief that they are unlovable, they may seek explanations that align with this belief, such as “I said the wrong thing to make that person not wish to date me.” This can lead to emotions such as disappointment and anxiety.
A person who believes they are unlovable may be less willing to date, which may cause them to miss opportunities to meet a romantic partner. Similarly, a person who sees other people as untrustworthy may see negative intentions where none exist.
Researchers have also established an association between certain core beliefs and mental health conditions, such as:
Additionally, core beliefs may affect the development of certain personality traits. For example, a 2022 study of young adults found that negative self-related core beliefs may contribute to the development of the trait the study authors termed “greed.” The authors theorized that striving for material goals might be an attempt to replace unmet needs.
A person who wishes to explore their core beliefs may benefit from consulting a CBT therapist, regardless of whether the person is experiencing a mental health condition or not. A CBT therapist may help them identify any unhelpful beliefs and cultivate more helpful ones if needed.
Core beliefs are strong, long-term beliefs a person has that inform how they see the world and themselves. These beliefs begin forming in early childhood and can influence a person’s personality, decision making, and mental health.
These beliefs, which a person may not be consciously aware of, act as “rules” for managing relationships and daily life. They inform a person’s expectations and how they react to stressful situations. However, they are not always balanced or accurate.
Negative or unhelpful core beliefs can lead to difficult emotions and potentially harmful behaviors, which can undermine a person’s well-being. Certain forms of therapy, such as CBT, may help a person identify and question their core beliefs. If needed, a therapist may help a person replace unhelpful beliefs with more reasonable alternatives over time.