Why Lies Feel Like Truth

Ever heard the saying, “If you repeat a lie enough times, it becomes the truth”? Our brains are wired to take shortcuts, and one of the biggest ones is mistaking familiarity for truth. The more we hear something, the more likely we are to believe it, even if it’s completely false.

Think about it: How many times have you heard myths like “we only use 10% of our brains” or “carrots improve your eyesight”? Both are false, yet they’ve been repeated so often that plenty of people accept them as facts. Now imagine this happening on a much larger scale: political propaganda, media misinformation, and viral social media posts. Suddenly, we’re not just talking about harmless myths but serious falsehoods that shape opinions, decisions, and even entire societies.

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So, why does this happen? And more importantly, how can we guard against it? In this article, we’ll break down the Illusory Truth Effect, the psychological trick that makes repeated lies feel true. We’ll look at real-world examples, dive into the science behind why our brains fall for it, and, most importantly, talk about how to make sure we’re not getting fooled. Let’s get into it.

The Psychology Behind Repetition and Belief

Our brains are constantly looking for ways to make thinking easier. Instead of analyzing every piece of information from scratch, we rely on shortcuts, mental rules of thumb that help us process the world quickly. One of those shortcuts is familiarity. If something sounds familiar, our brains assume it must be true. That’s the Illusory Truth Effect in action.

This phenomenon was first studied in the 1970s, when researchers found that people were more likely to believe false statements if they had heard them before, even when they knew the statements weren’t true. Repetition makes information feel effortless to process, and when something is easy to process, it feels true.

Think of it like a song you don’t even like at first, but after hearing it a dozen times, you catch yourself singing along. The same thing happens with information. The more we hear it, the more natural it feels, and before we know it, we’re accepting it as fact without questioning it.

But it’s not just about feeling familiar; other psychological biases make this effect even stronger.

• Confirmation Bias: We naturally seek out and believe information that supports what we already think, so if a repeated lie aligns with our existing beliefs, we’re even more likely to accept it.

• Cognitive Ease: Our brains prefer information that doesn’t require effort to process. A repeated statement is easier to digest than a brand-new one, making it seem more credible.

• Social Proof: When we see others repeating or believing a statement, we assume it must be true. This is why misinformation spreads so easily online; people share what they see without questioning it.

Repetition alone doesn’t make something true, but our brains don’t always make that distinction. That’s why advertisers, politicians, and media outlets use this trick to their advantage. They don’t need you to believe something the first time you hear it. They just need to repeat it until your brain stops questioning it.

Governments and leaders have long used repetition to manipulate public opinion. Think of Nazi Germany’s infamous propaganda strategy: Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, famously said, “Repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes the truth.” That’s exactly what happened as the regime spread anti-Semitic lies, using newspapers, speeches, and radio broadcasts to make people believe them. Sound familiar?

But it’s not just extreme examples; plenty of historical myths have been accepted as fact due to repetition. For example, many people still believe that Napoleon was unusually short (he wasn’t, he was of average height for his time) or that Vikings wore horned helmets (they didn’t). These myths stuck because they were repeated over and over, reinforcing false beliefs across generations.

Fake News & Social Media Misinformation

The digital age has supercharged the Illusory Truth Effect. Social media allows false information to spread at lightning speed, often faster than the truth. Studies have shown that fake news spreads six times faster than factual news on platforms like Twitter/X. Why? Because it’s designed to grab attention, provoke emotion, and get shared.

Consider the rise of conspiracy theories like the idea that the moon landing was faked. This claim has been thoroughly debunked, yet it persists because it keeps getting repeated in documentaries, online forums, and social media posts. The more people see it, the more plausible it feels, even without any real evidence.

Advertising & Marketing Tactics

Ever wonder why brands repeat their slogans endlessly? It’s not just about making them memorable—it’s about making them feel true. When you hear phrases like “Red Bull gives you wings” or “Just Do It," they start to sound like universal truths rather than marketing slogans.

The same tactic is used in political campaigns. Politicians repeat simple, catchy messages, not necessarily because they’re factual but because repetition makes them feel undeniable. Whether it’s “Make America Great Again” or “Yes We Can,” repetition cements these phrases in the public’s consciousness, influencing how people think and vote.

Common Everyday Myths

Even in everyday life, we fall for repeated falsehoods. Here are a few classic examples:

• “We only use 10% of our brains.” False: brain scans show we use nearly all parts of our brain throughout the day.

• “Bats are blind.” Also false; bats can actually see quite well! They just use echolocation to navigate in the dark.

None of these statements were ever true, yet they’ve been repeated so often that many people accept them without question.

Repetition is a powerful force. It doesn’t just shape what we believe, it shapes how we see the world. But now that we know how it works, we can start to recognize it in action.

Next, let’s dive into why our brains are so vulnerable to this effect and what’s happening on a neurological level.

Why Our Brains Are Wired to Fall for Repetition

By now, it is clear that repetition has a powerful grip on our beliefs, but why does it work so well? The answer lies in how our brains process information, make decisions, and store memories.

1. Our Brains Prefer Mental Shortcuts

Thinking requires a lot of energy. Our brains are constantly processing massive amounts of information, so they rely on shortcuts to make the job easier. One of these shortcuts is cognitive ease, which means we are more likely to trust information that feels familiar. Repetition makes an idea feel familiar, and once something feels familiar, our brains start treating it as truth.

This is why a statement that sounds questionable the first time you hear it can begin to feel more believable after hearing it repeatedly. The truth has not changed, but your brain has become more comfortable with the idea.

2. Familiarity Creates the Illusion of Truth

Repetition also increases fluency, which is the ease with which our brains process information. When something is easier to understand, we are more likely to believe it.

Psychologists have found that people are more likely to trust statements written in clear, bold fonts compared to the same statements in a hard-to-read font. When information is easy to process, it feels more reliable. When a false statement is repeated enough times, it becomes fluent, and fluency creates the illusion of truth.

3. Emotion Strengthens False Beliefs

Repetition alone is powerful, but emotion makes it even stronger. Research shows that we are more likely to accept repeated statements that trigger strong emotions like fear, anger, or excitement.

Fear-based misinformation spreads quickly because our brains are wired to prioritize threats. This is why false health claims, such as anti-vaccine myths, gain so much traction. People react emotionally and share the information without verifying it.

Outrage also makes misinformation more convincing. If a repeated statement aligns with what we already believe, we are more likely to accept it as truth. This is why political falsehoods spread so easily. People want to believe things that reinforce their existing worldview.

4. Repetition Physically Rewires the Brain

Hearing the same information over and over does not just influence what we think. It changes the structure of our brains. Every time we hear or recall a piece of information, the neural connections related to that idea become stronger. The more we reinforce those connections, the more automatic and ingrained the belief becomes.

This is why misinformation is so difficult to correct. Even when we are presented with facts, the false belief still feels more accurate because it has been reinforced so many times. Overcoming this effect requires a conscious effort to question information rather than simply accepting what feels familiar.

Now that we understand why our brains fall for repeated falsehoods, the next step is learning how to protect ourselves. In the next section, we will explore practical ways to recognize and resist the Illusory Truth Effect.

How to Protect Yourself from the Illusory Truth Effect

Now that we know how repetition influences belief, the next step is learning how to guard against it. False information spreads quickly, but with the right strategies, we can train our minds to recognize and resist it.

1. Slow Down and Question What You Hear

Our brains prefer to process information quickly, but truth requires careful thinking. Instead of accepting repeated claims at face value, take a moment to ask yourself a few key questions.

• Where did this information come from?

• Is there evidence to support it?

• Who benefits from people believing this?

Slowing down and questioning sources can prevent you from automatically accepting something just because you have heard it before.

2. Verify Information Before Sharing It

Social media has made it easier than ever to spread falsehoods. Before sharing a claim, take a moment to check whether it is accurate. Look for confirmation from reliable sources such as fact-checking websites, academic studies, or reputable news organizations.

Repeating misinformation, even unintentionally, contributes to the problem. By verifying before sharing, you help stop the cycle of repeated falsehoods.

3. Expose Yourself to Different Perspectives

Confirmation bias makes us seek out information that supports what we already believe. This makes us more vulnerable to repeated falsehoods that align with our views. The best way to challenge this bias is to actively expose yourself to different perspectives.

Read from a variety of news sources, follow people with different viewpoints, and be open to reconsidering your stance when new evidence emerges. The more you diversify your information sources, the less likely you are to fall for repeated misinformation.

4. Look for Facts, Not Just Familiarity

Since repetition creates a false sense of truth, it is important to focus on facts rather than familiarity. Just because something feels true does not mean it is true.

Cross-check information with primary sources, scientific studies, and expert opinions. If a claim is widely repeated but lacks evidence, that is a red flag. Training yourself to prioritize facts over familiarity can help protect you from falling for repeated lies.

5. Recognize When Emotion is Being Used to Manipulate You

Many repeated falsehoods spread because they trigger strong emotional reactions. Fear, anger, and outrage can make us more likely to believe and share misinformation without questioning it.

If a statement makes you feel an intense emotional reaction, take a step back and analyze it objectively. Ask yourself whether the information is designed to provoke a response rather than inform. Being aware of emotional manipulation can help you think more critically before accepting repeated claims.

Conclusion

Repetition is one of the most powerful tools for shaping belief. The more we hear something, the more likely we are to accept it as truth, even when it has no basis in reality. This is why misinformation, political propaganda, and advertising slogans can have such a strong influence on our thinking. Our brains take mental shortcuts, preferring familiar information over critically analyzed facts.

But just because our brains are wired this way does not mean we have to fall for it. By slowing down, questioning repeated claims, verifying sources, and being mindful of emotional manipulation, we can resist the pull of the Illusory Truth Effect. Truth is not determined by how many times something is repeated but by the evidence that supports it.

In a world filled with misinformation, developing strong critical thinking skills is more important than ever. The more we train ourselves to think critically, the less likely we are to be misled by repeated falsehoods. In the end, truth is not about what feels familiar. It is about what stands up to scrutiny.

Thanks for reading Disinfaux: Dissecting the Psychology of Disinformation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.