EOTO 2: The Illusory Truth Effect

I read about the illusory truth effect in one of my classes last semester and found it fascinating! The illusory truth effect theory claims that the more we hear certain information, the more likely we are to believe that the information is true. We experience positive feelings when we hear something that we know to be true. Studies have shown that we experience the same positive feelings when we hear information that we have been exposed to repeatedly. In 1977, the theory was first introduced through a Temple University research paper written by Dr. Lynn Hasher and her associates. Since then, it has come to play a vital role in various industries. The illusory truth effect is especially prevalent in the political world.

We are constantly hearing about "fake news" and the negative effects that it can have on politicians from both the Republican and Democratic parties. If "fake news" stories can be so ridiculously false, why is it that so many of us believe them? Following the 2016 presidential election, the idea of "fake news" gained national attention. In response, researchers at Yale University sought to demonstrate how the illusory truth effect can help make "fake news" more believable.

The researchers showed people an assortment of headlines from Facebook. Some of the headlines were true, while others were false. The researchers varied the number of times that people were exposed to the headlines; some headlines were shown to the people once and others were shown twice. Half of the headlines favored Republican viewpoints and the other half were tailored to fit Democratic views. These ads were chosen to protect against political bias. The participants were asked about their own political opinions, so that the researchers could determine if political affiliation impacted the results of the study.

The researchers found that people were more likely to believe the true headlines than they were the false ones. However, the illusory effect still appeared to influence participants. People were more likely to believe a true or false headline, if they were exposed to the headline multiple times. The researchers also found that political affiliation did not play a role in the study's results. If participants had repeated exposure to a headline, they were more likely to find the statement true, regardless of political affiliation.

I find the whole idea of the illusory truth effect rather frightening. It is startling to consider the ways in which this effect can be abused. The term "fake news" has been used so frequently, that I fear people have forgotten just how dangerous it can be. What we believe to be true can affect how we vote, how we interact with others, and how we live our everyday lives.

Check out this explanation the illusory truth effect

This Psychology Today article looks at the connection between the illusory truth effect and propaganda

Here is the abstract from the Yale University Study

This Psychology Today article discusses the results of the Yale University study