Repetition can make a claim familiar without making it true
Hearing a claim again can make it feel familiar without adding evidence that it is true. Experiments on the illusory truth effect test whether repetition raises truth ratings, including when people have relevant knowledge. Explore how researchers separate familiarity, knowledge, and judgments of accuracy.
Questions you could explore
- How would you separate familiarity with a claim from evidence that it is correct?
- How could a study test repeated statements while accounting for a person's existing knowledge?
Start reading
- Fazio and colleagues / Journal of Experimental Psychology: GeneralKnowledge Does Not Protect Against Illusory Truth
The 2015 experiments compare repeated statements with new ones and measure truth judgments and knowledge. These tasks do not show that repetition makes everyone accept every claim.
Ready to try your ideas aloud?
Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.