Ever shared a viral post and then found out it wasn’t true? You’re not alone. The real question is: why did it feel true in the first place?
The answer lies in our psychology. Misinformation doesn’t spread just because it's out there. It spreads because our brains are wired in ways that make us want to believe it. And it turns out, the answer lies deep in the quirks of how we think, feel, and connect with others.
Let’s break it down.
1. Confirmation Bias: Your Brain’s Built-in Algorithm
Imagine seeing two headlines:
“Using your phone before bed is harmful.”
“Scrolling late at night boosts creativity.”
Chances are, you’ll click on the one that fits what you already believe. That’s confirmation bias in action.
It’s your brain’s way of saying, “This feels right because I already think it’s true.” But what feels true isn’t always factual. Confirmation bias leads us to like, share, or believe information that aligns with our existing opinions and ignore anything that contradicts them. It’s how misinformation gets a head start.
Misinformation spreads not just because it's shocking, but because it feels comfortable. And in an age of personalised content, your feed is full of things you’re already inclined to believe.
So, how do you beat it? Start with a simple question:
“Am I sharing this because it’s true, or because it feels right?”
Practice lateral reading—that means opening multiple tabs, checking across different sources, and especially ones that challenge your view. You don’t have to agree with them, but understanding a broader context helps break the bias loop. And yes, sometimes that even means talking to that one family member with strong opinions you usually avoid.
2. Fast Thinking vs. Slow Thinking: How Speed Can Fool Us
Nobel Laureate and psychologist Daniel Kahneman described two systems in our brains:
System 1: Fast, intuitive, emotional.
System 2: Slow, logical, deliberate.
Most of our daily thinking, especially online, runs on System 1. It’s quick and efficient, but easily misled. System 2, the logical one, takes time and effort. And when we’re tired, stressed, or just doom-scrolling, it’s much easier to go with our gut than to pause and investigate.
This mental shortcut is why emotional headlines go viral. It’s why misinformation that makes us angry or scared spreads faster than boring-but-true facts.
And here’s another catch: when emotions are heightened, we fall into black-and-white thinking. It's another common cognitive bias. We start seeing issues as all good or all bad, heroes or villains, truth or lies. No middle ground, no nuance.
The bestselling weight-loss book, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, benefited from black-and-white thinking. When he said, “All carbs are bad,” people latched on to the one-track-mind recommendation. Never mind that complex carbs in fruits and vegetables are essential; the simplicity appealed to a binary worldview.
The clearer and more extreme a message is, the more likely we are to believe and remember it. The idea that “all carbs are bad” caught on because it’s a straightforward, clear rule.
3. Mental Laziness and Cognitive Ease
Believing fake news isn’t always about being uninformed. Sometimes we’re more likely to believe something if it’s easy to process. Psychologists call it cognitive ease:
And when we do think critically, we often do it to defend what we already believe. In polarised debates like climate change or elections, motivated reasoning takes over. We don’t reason to discover truth; we reason to protect our ideologies.
And it gets worse when our social circles reinforce those beliefs. Misinformation becomes a kind of team sport. We see our friends liking the same posts, hearing the same arguments, and quoting the same sources. The group dynamic creates the illusion of consensus and “victory by numbers”. And the more emotionally connected we are to the group, the harder it becomes to question what we’re being told.
So, What Can We Do About It?
Biases are just how our brains try to keep up with a complex world. Hence, understanding the psychology behind misinformation helps us fight it. It’s not just about spotting fake headlines—it’s about being aware of the mental shortcuts we take, often without realising it.
- Pause before sharing: If something seems too good to be true, or too bad to be true, it probably isn’t true.
- Cross-check claims: Use Lateral Reading. Open multiple tabs on the same search topic and read from various sources.
- Diversify your feed: Follow people with challenging views. It trains your brain to tolerate complexity.
- Be okay with uncertainty: Not everything has a clear answer, and a lot of headlines are driven by a combination of facts and opinions.
- Include fact-checks in your news diet: These bring you cold, hard facts, so that you’re able to inform your opinions. Follow BOOM for more fact-checks.
So next time something outrages you or seems too perfect to be untrue, pause and look deeper. Your brain may be fast, but truth takes its time.