The Heaven's Gate cult returned a telescope to the store where it was purchased because when members looked through the telescope they could see the Hale-Bopp comet but they couldn't see a spaceship trailing behind it. They deduced that there must be something wrong with the telescope. This is an example of rationalization of disconfirmation.

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Rationalization of disconfirmation is a term used in psychology to describe the cognitive process of explaining away or dismissing evidence that conflicts with one's beliefs. In this case, the Heaven's Gate cult members believed that the Hale-Bopp comet was accompanied by a spaceship, but when they looked through the telescope and didn't see it, they rationalized it by assuming something was wrong with the telescope rather than questioning their belief.

The Heaven's Gate Cult Returned a Telescope to the Store