This phenomenon is studied in the history and philosophy of sciences; it is called "paradigm change" ala Thomas Kuhn. Yes, researchers who work in the dominant

This phenomenon is studied in the history and philosophy of sciences; it is called "paradigm change" ala Thomas Kuhn. Yes, researchers who work in the dominant 'paradigm' tie their psychological identities with the paradigm they are working on. So, this resistance is expected. 'How to overcome resistance' is studied in Sociology of Science.