Ask A Psychologist Why Do We Fall For Fake News

“All of us can fall for misinformation,” Nadia Brashier told the Washington Post. “I’ve fallen for false stories myself even though this is what I study.” Brashier is an assistant professor of psychology in the School of Social Sciences. She joined UC San Diego in 2023 after earning her PhD from Duke University and completing a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard. Brashier explores how people come to believe things that are untrue, including superstitions, conspiracy theories and of course, fake news. When we’re online, Brashier says, we often pay attention to the most eye-catching content, regardless of whether it is actually true.

Redirecting our attention towards accuracy can help protect us from misinformation. Brashier sat down with UC San Diego Today to discuss why we believe fake news and what – in this era of artificial intelligence and political polarization – we can do about it. When we scroll through our feeds on social media, we are not always thinking about truth. Even when we do explicitly evaluate veracity, we often go with our guts. Posted July 21, 2022 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster "Fake news" was the buzzword of 2017, and barely a day passed during Donald Trump's presidency without him criticizing media bias or the spread of so-called "alternative facts." However, discussions of media misinformation have...

Many articles suggest that social media sites should do more to educate the public about misinformation or that readers should think more critically about the sources of news stories before sharing them. But there are fundamental problems with this. First, there isn’t a clear definition of what “fake news” really is. And second, it overlooks important aspects of people’s psychological makeup. "Fake news" can be classified in several ways and represented as a series of concentric circles. First, in the centre of the concentric model, we have actual fake news.

These are the stories we commonly see shared on sites such as News Thump and The Onion. These satirical stories are written for comedic purposes and are put together to entertain–not to educate. These stories are written with no editorial policy concerning the truth. The story is purely distributed to be clicked on, shared, and ultimately to make money through advertising revenue. Ask a Psychologist: Why Do We Fall for Fake News? In an era defined by the rapid dissemination of information, the proliferation of fake news poses a significant threat to informed decision-making and societal cohesion.

Understanding the psychological mechanisms that underpin our susceptibility to misinformation is crucial for navigating the complex information landscape and fostering critical thinking. This article explores the psychological factors that make us vulnerable to fake news, drawing on insights from cognitive psychology, social psychology, and behavioral economics. One key factor contributing to our vulnerability is cognitive biases. Our brains are wired with mental shortcuts, known as heuristics, that simplify complex information processing. While generally efficient, these heuristics can lead to systematic errors in judgment. The availability heuristic, for example, causes us to overestimate the likelihood of events that are easily recalled, often due to their vividness or recent exposure.

Consequently, sensationalized or emotionally charged fake news stories are more likely to stick in our minds and influence our perceptions. Confirmation bias, another powerful cognitive bias, reinforces our existing beliefs by leading us to selectively seek out and interpret information that confirms our preconceptions, while dismissing information that contradicts them. This makes us susceptible to fake news that aligns with our existing worldview, further entrenching our biases. Social influences also play a significant role in the spread of fake news. We are inherently social beings, influenced by the opinions and behaviors of those around us. Social proof, the tendency to conform to the beliefs and actions of others, can lead us to accept fake news if it is widely shared and endorsed within our social networks.

This effect is amplified in online echo chambers, where like-minded individuals reinforce each other’s biases, creating a breeding ground for misinformation. Furthermore, the persuasive power of authority figures, such as political leaders or celebrities, can be exploited to spread fake news. When trusted individuals share or endorse false information, it gains credibility and is more likely to be accepted as true. The emotional nature of fake news also contributes to its potency. Fake news stories often evoke strong emotions such as fear, anger, or excitement. These emotions can hijack our rational thinking processes and make us more susceptible to accepting information uncritically.

When we are emotionally aroused, our cognitive resources are diverted towards processing the emotional content, leaving fewer resources available for critical evaluation of the information. This makes us more likely to share emotionally charged fake news stories, even if we have doubts about their veracity. The novelty bias, our preference for new and exciting information, also plays a role. Fake news often presents novel or unexpected narratives that capture our attention and are more likely to be shared, regardless of their truthfulness. Did you know that 65% of Americans report having been “somewhat” or “completely confident” that a news story was real, only to later discover it was fabricated? The psychology of fake news is more complex than simply blaming gullibility or lack of intelligence.

As a practicing clinical psychologist specializing in digital behavior for over fifteen years, I’ve observed how even the most educated and critical thinkers can fall prey to misinformation under the right circumstances. We’re living in what many experts now call an “infodemic” – where the sheer volume of information, both true and false, makes discerning reality increasingly difficult. In 2023 alone, researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute identified over 8,900 websites specifically designed to mimic legitimate news sources while spreading demonstrably false information. This digital landscape presents unprecedented challenges to our cognitive systems that evolved in much simpler information environments. By the end of this article, you’ll understand the psychological mechanisms that make fake news so persuasive, recognize your own vulnerabilities to misinformation, and learn evidence-based strategies to strengthen your critical thinking skills in... We’ll explore the latest research on how our brains process information, the social dynamics that reinforce belief in falsehoods, and practical techniques you can implement immediately to become more discerning consumers of news.

Our brains didn’t evolve to process the tsunami of information we face daily. The average person encounters the equivalent of 174 newspapers worth of data every single day – a stark contrast to our ancestors’ information environment. This mismatch between our cognitive architecture and modern information consumption creates vulnerabilities that fake news exploits with remarkable efficiency. Have you ever wondered why it’s so much easier to believe something that “feels right” than to question it critically? This tendency stems from what psychologists call cognitive miserliness – our brain’s natural inclination to conserve mental energy whenever possible. You're scrolling through your social media feed and spotting a headline that makes your blood boil or your heart race.

Maybe it promises shocking truths or dire consequences. You click, you share, and only later do you realise it was completely false. It’s a pattern millions of people repeat daily, often without even realising it. But why? Why do so many of us continue to believe and share fake news, even when it’s been debunked? To understand this, we need to step into the emotional and psychological mechanics that power misinformation.

Fake news doesn’t rely on facts; it thrives on feelings. Outrage, fear, and hope are some of the most potent tools in the misinformation playbook. Outrage pulls us in by giving us someone or something to blame. Fear motivates immediate action and creates a sense of urgency, while hope taps into our deepest desires for simple solutions to complex problems. These emotions bypass our rational filters and trigger impulsive reactions. By the time we realise what happened, the share button has already been pressed.

But emotional manipulation is only part of the story. Our own cognitive wiring makes us even more vulnerable. Two psychological phenomena, in particular, make fake news dangerously persuasive: the availability heuristic and the Dunning-Kruger effect. The availability heuristic is our brain’s tendency to rely on information that is easily recalled. If you’ve seen a certain claim multiple times, for example, “seeing repeated news about immigration crimes makes people overestimate the threat immigrants pose,” it starts to feel true, even if it isn’t. Repetition breeds familiarity, and familiarity, in our minds, often gets confused with truth.

Then there’s the Dunning-Kruger effect, which describes how people with limited knowledge on a topic often overestimate their understanding of it. In the age of TikTok explainers and viral X (formerly known as Twitter) threads, it’s easy to feel like an expert after watching a 30-second video. The problem is that shallow knowledge can give a false sense of confidence, making us more likely to reject expert consensus in favour of simplified, misleading narratives. Fake news isn’t just a nuisance; it’s a pervasive force shaping opinions, influencing behavior, and even disrupting elections. Understanding the psychology behind why we fall for fake news is crucial for navigating the digital age and protecting ourselves from misinformation. This article explores the psychological traps that make us vulnerable and offers practical strategies to resist the allure of fabricated stories.

Several psychological factors contribute to our susceptibility to fake news. One key element is confirmation bias. We tend to favor information that aligns with our existing beliefs and reject information that challenges them. Fake news often plays into pre-existing biases, making it easier to accept as truth. A headline that confirms our suspicions about a political opponent, for instance, is more likely to be shared and believed, regardless of its veracity. Another factor is emotional reasoning.

Fake news often evokes strong emotions like fear, anger, or excitement. These emotional responses can cloud our judgment and make us less likely to engage in critical thinking. A sensationalized story about a supposed threat, even if lacking evidence, can easily trigger fear and prompt us to share it widely. The modern information environment also plays a role. The constant barrage of information online can lead to information overload, making it difficult to discern credible sources from unreliable ones. Furthermore, the design of social media platforms encourages rapid sharing and prioritizes engagement over accuracy.

The sheer volume and speed of information dissemination make it easier for fake news to spread before it can be debunked. Finally, cognitive fluency comes into play. Information that is easy to process and understand, regardless of its accuracy, is often perceived as more truthful. Fake news often utilizes simple language and compelling narratives, making it more easily digestible and believable than complex factual reporting. While the psychology behind fake news can make us vulnerable, we can take steps to build resistance and become more discerning consumers of information. Here are some practical strategies:

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