Who doesn’t know the rumor mill? Rumors and erroneous or even distorted statements last a long time and stick to the people at the center of the „gossip“ like tar.
A study by Ecker et al. in 2022 got to the bottom of „the psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its resistance to correction“. The researchers found that two factors play a role in gullibility. These are:
- Cognitive factors, which differ as follows:
- Intuitions that arise from a low level of analysis
- Cognitive inaccuracy due to not applying one’s own knowledge and ignoring counter-evidence, as well as not asking for valid sources
- Illusions of truth created by the familiar atmosphere and interactions, as well as the coincidence with one’s own experiences
2. Social factors, which differs as follow
- Credibility of groups. Hierarchically higher and elites are believed more, attractive people are rated as more credible and one’s own social affiliation plays a decisive role.
- World views such as one’s own party or personal views are decisive here
- Emotions, if a message is presented emotionally, it is believed more, and one’s own emotional state also plays a decisive role.
Tip:
Before investigating the rumours again and accepting what has been said as all too true, it is better to talk to the people who were involved. Listen to them and make up your own mind about the facts.
It is also important to recognise that higher hierarchies, celebrities or people of high status are as flawed and ‚fallible‘ as anyone else.
