True Lies: 6 Things to Keep in Mind When Judging if Something Is the Truth or Fake News

For decades, psychology researchers have studied how we form beliefs, and why we are often easily fooled. Here are six findings that, if kept in mind, could help you avoid pitfalls. ¹

When knowledge is uncertain, people turn to social consensus to gauge what is likely to be correct.² It’s easy to go along with the herd, but try not to get corralled into believing — and spreading — a lie.

People are more confident in their beliefs if others share them.³ Don’t be afraid to pop the bubble. Just because others agree with you doesn’t mean any of you are right.

People are more likely to accept a claim that is compatible with their own beliefs than one that is not.⁴ If it fits with your current world view, it’s easy to accept it. Avoid being seduced into the status quo.

People are more likely to believe statements when they are made in a familiar and easy to understand accent and when the speaker’s name is easy rather than difficult to pronounce.⁵ Fear of “the other” can lead to suspicion. Fight the urge to vilify those you don’t know or understand.

A given claim is more likely to be accepted when it appears with a photo — even when the photo has no probative value.⁶ Pretty pictures sell; ask anyone posting on Craigslist. Don’t let the eye candy fool you.

False information is notoriously difficult to correct. … Corrections after exposure are often futile.⁷ Once the cat’s out of the bag, it’s very hard to put it back. Don’t be afraid to question a long- and widely held belief. (That’s the principle at the heart of science.)

Read more stories from USC Dornsife Magazine’s Spring/Summer 2019 Issue.

1. Schwarz, Newman and Leach, 2016.
2. Festinger, 1954.
3. Visser and Mirabile, 2004.
4. Abelson, et al., 1968; Wyer, 1974.
5. Lev-Ari and Keysar, 2010; Newman, Sanson, Miller, Quigley-McBride, Foster, Bernstein and Garry, 2014.
6. Newman, Garry, Bernstein, Kantner and Lindsey, 2012.
7. Schwarz, Sanna, Skurnik and Yoon, 2007; Lewandowsky, Ecker, Seifert, Schwarz and Cook, 2012.