EOTO #2: The Illusory Truth Effect

With the ever growing usage of the Internet, the ease of creating and spreading false information has become easier and ever. However, not every method of spreading false information relies on the internet. Many methods have been used my people, groups, agencies, and governments. One of these theories was first officially documented in the late 1970's, though it has been used for centuries.

This theory is known as the "Illusory Truth Effect." This cognitive bias is simple but effective: if misinformation is repeated again and again, it becomes more easily perceived as true. For example, if someone tells you that the Japanese government has banned smoking, you may have a disregard this information since smoking is popular in Japan. However, if this person or other people around you repeat this incorrect fact, it will seem more believable. 

The theory was first documented in a joint study performed by Villanova University and Temple University in 1977. In this study, participants were given three lists of 60 plausible statements with each list being distributed two weeks apart. Twenty of these statements appear on all the lists while the other forty are respective to their own lists. Participants were required to rate their confidence in the validity of the statement

The results of the study showed that the participants had a tendency to mark the repeated statements more believable than the unique statements as more lists were provided. This study and other supporting studies prove that the brain tends to put familiarity over rationality when understanding information.

Unfortunately, the illusory truth effect has been used to widely spread misinformation to large groups around the world. One of the most recent and relevant examples of the bias being used and its consequences is its use by the Bush Administration in justifying the US invasion of Iraq. 

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush Administration shifted its focus towards the elimination of terrorist organizations. Although a United Nations inspection reported that Iraq did not show signs that it possessed weapons of mass destruction, the Bush Administration reported the opposite, leading the United States into it's invasion of Iraq. 

This narrative was spread throughout media in the United States, rallying the country together in an effort to prevent the next 9/11. In reality, there is no evidence to suggest that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, as reported by the Central Intelligence Agency ("CIA"). However, it is probable that many people across the Untied States believe that Iraq possessed these weapons due to the propaganda spread by the Bush administration. 

Less than 15 years later, another politician used the illusory truth effect to rally his followers around his immigration rhetoric. In his 2016 presidential bid announcement, Donald Trump repeated phrases about his policies on international economic relations and immigration issues, utilizing repetition to spread his beliefs to followers and listeners.

Donald Trump, the businessman turned presidential candidate, has a distinct pattern of speech where he repeats phrases over and over again.  When discussing international economic relations, he repeats that other nations are "killing" and "beating" the United States in various ways. When discussing his thoughts on immigration, he reinforces stereotypes towards Mexican immigrants. His immigration rhetoric became a core aspect of his presidency.

Though the illusory truth effect is dangerous when used with malicious motives. As a result of the invasion of Iraq, approximately 200,000 Iraqi civilians alone were killed. However, malicious use of this theory may be easier to combat with the internet, as fact checking has become a growing necessity in modern media. The illusory truth effect is perhaps one of the most subtle but effective methods of persuasion, warranting caution in the age of information.