Why We Mislead Part 3

  Cognitive linguist George Lakoff, PhD from the University of California, addressed alternative facts regarding Trump’s inauguration crowd claims.  Debunking or calling attention to this claim did not diminish their power because people assess the evidence presented to them through a framework of pre-existing beliefs and prejudices. If the facts do not fit into your cognitive-emotional frame work or if it’s threatening, then it is simply more convenient to label them false news facts. This is similar to the theory of cognitive dissonance. An example of this idea was borne out by Briony Swire-Thompson’s research at the University of Western Australia. This research documented the effectiveness of evidence-based information and the refuting of false beliefs. The study was based on the false statement made by Donald Trump. He stated that vaccines cause autism. It was reported that Trump supporters showed a decidedly stronger belief in the misinformation when it had Donald Trump’s name attached to it. Then, these participants were given a short explanation as to the correct information. There was no relationship between the vaccine and autism. Initially, the participants accepted the fact and acknowledged the truth. However, testing the participants a week later, showed that their beliefs in the misinformation had bounced back to nearly the same original levels.

In summary, there are numerous reasons why we speak untruths. 1. Lying behavior begins early in life. 2. Lying is easy and often there are no serious negative consequences for the behavior. 3. Everyone seems to engage, to some degree, in the behavior, including our “politicians.” 4. It occurs during the evolution of the human brain. 5. For too many, it’s a significant characteristic in their character tendencies 6. Humans are gullible and tend to deceive themselves as well. For more detailed information, read the article in full.