Illusory Truth Effect

The Illusory Truth Effect is defined as...

“Illusory Truth Effect is the positive feeling that is experienced when we hear information that we know is true is similar to the feeling that occurs when we hear information we have heard before.”

What does this mean?

If someone hears the same thing, enough times they will begin to believe it because they begin to believe it is the truth.

Your brain feels a very similar feeling from when we hear information over again and when we hear a true fact. This means that after being exposed to the information for enough time, your mind is unable to comprehend what the difference between the two is.

The danger in this…

The mix between the truth and what you think is the truth are very blurred lines and it is hard to tell between the two because of this effect. Your mind tricks you into thinking some things are facts when they are not.

Additionally, if someone believes that something is a fact and then begins to spread it to other people like the truth, then there are even more people who are now influenced by this effect. This effect is ongoing and something that will affect a HUGE amount of people just based on one false fact.

I do not think there is any way to actually stop this from happening because it is impossible to check everything you hear at all times. Inevitably, you will be influenced by the people around you and fall into this trap of believing something that is not the truth.

Just in 2017 alone there were three huge stories that were a result of the Illusory Truth Effect,

• Category six hurricanes exist
• Over two MILLION people shared this story saying that there were category six hurricanes. The truth is that category six hurricanes do not exist but this story, scene so many times by so many people made people believe it was the truth.

• Sam Hyde, a comedian, was responsible for the London Bridge terror attacks
• In 2017 when the London Bridge terror attacks occurred, rumors started that comedian Sam Hyde was responsible. This is not only detrimental to Hyde but it is also hurting the public as they try to piece together what happened during this attack.

• A Canadian imam closed his mosque doors to Christian victims of Storm Harvey – 
• This never happened but since many people believed it did, it caused a lot of unnecessary backlash and hate.

More information

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=216HCZO-uiE

Sites Used:
https://www.kub-uk.net/illusory-truth-effect/
https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/illusory-truth-effect