#12: Belief bias, Illusory truth effect

Belief bias

People are likely to accept the arguments that fit their system of values and beliefs, without questioning how these arguments support the conclusion.

Similarly, people tend to reject arguments that don’t fit their existing beliefs. This is a very common bias. An example that comes to mind is when somebody who believes in creationism will reject arguments supporting the theory of evolution just because they don’t fit their picture of the world, and ignoring deeper consideration of how these arguments may support the conclusion. Sometimes, just logic is not enough to persuade a person.

Illusory truth effect

People are likely to believe the statements that they have seen before and feel familiar with.

Also called a reiteration effect, it means that the more a person is exposed to this information, the more believable it will seem to them. It is easier to process and accept statements that are being repeated than the ones that are new. People tend to believe that the repeated conclusion is more truthful, even if it’s false information. This brain’s weakness is widely used in news, elections, advertising, and of course propaganda. This is a dangerous one, and you should be very careful about the sources of information you choose to consume. Your beliefs can be swayed by people controlling the narrative.

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Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. They don’t represent any of my current or previous employers’ views.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belief_bias

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_truth_effect

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