Repetition makes false information believable.
Repeated exposure to a statement increases its perceived truth, even if the statement is false.
The illusory truth effect is a cognitive bias that describes the phenomenon where repeated exposure to a statement increases the likelihood that people will believe it to be true, even if it is false. This effect occurs because familiarity with a statement makes it easier to process, and this ease of processing (also known as cognitive fluency) is often mistakenly interpreted as a signal of truth.
Key aspects:
- Repetition - familiarity 📈 → easier to process → perceived truthfulness 📈
- Cognitive fluency
- Beliefs - people accept frequently-encountered false information as truth
- Decisions - people base judgments on false information
- Resistance - difficult to correct, even when presented with accurate information
Commonly used in:
- Politics
- Marketing
- Media
Repeated exposure to certain messages can shape public opinion and beliefs.
Understanding this bias is crucial for critically evaluating information and recognizing the potential influence of repeated statements on one’s beliefs and decisions.