The illusion of truth: why we easily believe myths

A man uses only 10% of the power of your brain. Carrots improves vision. Vitamin C helps with colds. That the stomach was healthy, be sure to eat the soup. Do you think that all this is true? No, it's the myths that we often hear and sometimes repeat themselves without hesitation. We believe in them because they are subject to the effect of imaginary truth.

When something is repeated many times, it begins to seem that it is the truth

Trying to understand the truth in front of us or not, we rely on two criteria. The first - that we already know about it, the second - how familiar it sounds. For example, if you say that the sky is green, you would not believe. You know it blue. But if you've already heard somewhere that it is green, you will overcome the doubts that may even outweighDissociation of processes in belief: Source recollection, statement familiarity and the illusion of truth common sense. And the more time you hear it, the more doubts.

Scientists have proven this effect during experiments

Frequency and the conference of referential validity. Participants were asked to rate a series of statements to be true. After a few weeks or months, they again gave such a task, adding to the list of new phrases. And then it exhibits the effect of imaginary truth. People often called true what they saw before.

When we hear something in the second or third time, the brain quickly reacts to it.

He mistakenly equates to a speed of processing reliability. In most cases this simplify our lives. No need to rack their brains every time you hear that plants need water to grow, or that the sky is blue. The problem is that this principle applies to the false claims.

Moreover, previous knowledge is not protected from the imaginary truth effect. This provedKnowledge does not protect against illusory truth psychologist Lisa Fazio. She conducted an experiment with clothes names from different cultures. Participants read the following sentence: "Sari - a national men's suit in Scotland."

After the second reading, even for those who know the correct name of a Scottish skirt, doubt creeps in steel head. If the first time they were assessed a phrase like "definitely false"Now we choose the option" probably false. " Yes, they have not changed their view entirely, but began to doubt.

And it use to deceive us

Nothing bad will happen if you mix up the kilt and saris. But the effect of imaginary truth affects more serious scope: it is used in politics, advertising and the media to promote ideas.

If on TV twist false information about a person in the audience will believe it. If buyers from all sides surrounds the advertising of a product, sales will grow.

Povtoronnaya information seems more plausible.

We begin to thinkMaking up History: False Memories of Fake News StoriesThat they had heard it from a reliable source. And when we are tired or distracted us other information we are exposed to it even more.

But this can be corrected

First, remind yourself that this effect exists. This rule works for all cognitive biases.

If you hear something that seems right, but you can not explain why - on the alert. Examine the question in more detail. Take the time to check the facts and figures. Verification of the facts - it's fun. Repeat this phrase several times, until you believe in it.

When you want to correct someone, proceed carefully: trying to convey to people the truth often failWhen Corrections Fail: The Persistence of Political Misperceptions.

If a man had heard some "truth", it is difficult to convince him that this is nonsense, and even scientific research can not help. The phrase "It is said that vitamin C helps with colds, but in factVitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold it does not affect the recovery, "his brain grabs the familiar" helps with colds, "and the rest is nonsense admits.

Start it with reliable data. Quickly mention the error and repeat the truth. It works because we remember bestThe serial position effect of free recall what we hear at the beginning and end of the story, instead of in the middle.