Illuminating human bias and our ability to be misled.
False information is everywhere. Are you susceptible to falling for it? A new study holds clues that can help us understand our vulnerabilities and opportunities when it comes to detecting misleading content – and protecting critical decisions around our finances, health and vote.
86%
of people reported that they have been exposed to misinformation on social media (Ipsos)
90%
of Canadians said they have fallen for fake news (Canada’s Centre for International Governance Innovation)
68%
of Canadians pointed at social media as the key sources of misinformation (CBC)
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A first step to mitigate misinformation is to increase people’s awareness of 'BS' being out there. This initial step could help control our receptivity to false information, thereby mitigating its economic impact on society.
Dr. Jonathan Fugelsang is a psychology professor, in the Faculty of Arts, who studies higher level cognition, and intuitive and analytic processes supporting complex reasoning and decision making. Shane Littrell (PhD Arts ’21 and not pictured) studies rational thinking and decision-making, with a particular focus on identifying factors underlying the spread of misinformation in various contexts and applied settings. He’s completing his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto.
About false information
According to research completed by Fugelsang and Littrell:
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“BS” is information constructed with a carefree indifference for conveying truth, accuracy, clarity or meaning that is often used to impress, persuade or otherwise manipulate the opinions and attitudes of others.
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“BS receptivity” is a measure of how persuasive and appealing "BS" is to a person.
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“Bias blindspot” is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to recognize biases and errors in thinking and judgment in other people more readily than they do in themselves.
Societal futures
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Read on to discover more ways Waterloo is on it.
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