Beware of this brain glitch.

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The way our brain equates repetition for truth.

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YOU ONLY USE 10 percent of your brain. 

Eating carrots improves your eyesight.

Crime in the United States is at an all-time high. 

 

NONE OF THESE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE.

They FEEL TRUE because of repetition. 

Crazy, huh?

“Slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward.”  

—Hitler in Mein Kampf

“But the facts don’t actually matter: People repeat them so often that you believe them. Welcome to the “illusory truth effect,” a glitch in the human psyche that equates repetition with truth. Marketers and politicians are masters of manipulating this particular cognitive bias—which perhaps you have become more familiar with lately.”

Source: Wired.com Article by Emily Dreyfuss

After I read this, I wondered…

What can I do if I notice my brain is on autopilot?

Pinch myself?  Snap a rubber band on my wrist?

OR…

Seek more sources to confirm or dispel my TRUTHS?

Let me know if you come up with a trick.

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SOURCE:  WANT TO MAKE A LIE SEEM TRUE? SAY IT AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN.

by Emily Dreyfuss


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2 thoughts on “Beware of this brain glitch.”

  1. Mary Francis McNinch – The good old USA – We are Kip and Mary McNinch. We are parents of four, proud of our 8 grandies, and 3 great-grandies. The Murdo Girl blog started as a way to let family and friends know what we were experiencing on our first RV trip. We have since traveled over 10,000 miles. The posts evolved to include true tales about growing up in the small town of Murdo, SD. You will also read stories of some of my more recent life experiences. So far I have 65 years of living to tell you about (12/31/16). It's mostly fun, funny, and light hearted. I hope you enjoy reading about some "feel good" memories and other "stuff."
    Mary Francis McNinch on said:

    I hate being manipulated into thinking something is true when it isn’t. I also hate being sceptical about everything. It wears me out!

    Reply ↓
    • Lisa Lillibridge/Dakota 1966 – I grew up roaming and scavenging the plains of southern South Dakota. That childhood landscape instilled a desire for spaciousness that's stayed with me into adulthood. My work often reflects these themes.
      Lisa Lillibridge/Dakota 1966 on said:

      I hear you, it’s exhausting indeed. However, I believe that possessing more knowledge about how we are frequently manipulated can help us be more in control regarding the constant flood of information.

      Reply ↓

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