Why do people believe in fake news? Experts explain psychology of disinformation

Despite reminders against fake news, it continues to spread and people still end up falling for it, especially on social media.

In an episode of "Need to Know," digital media researcher Prof. Fatima Gaw said the more technical term to call fake news and other "deceitful content" is disinformation.

"It contains falsehood or distortion of facts," Gaw said. "It can harm society in particular ways especially in the context of democracies."

According to licensed psychologist Dr. Ver Reyes, a person's tendency to believe in fake news is tied with their psychology, beliefs, and behavior. This is explained in three concepts: confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, and blind idolatry.

Confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, and blind idolatry

Confirmation bias is an individual's tendency "to process information by looking for or [interpreting] the information na consistent doon sa belief natin."

This happens when people create their own definitions of reality and work towards aligning their belief systems with their activities and virtues.

Cognitive dissonance, meanwhile, is the conflict felt by people who hold two contradicting ideas or behaviors. The tendency is to relieve the discomfort by either rejecting or explaining away conflicting information.

"Naniniwala kang hindi maganda ang paninigarilyo pero nagyoyosi ka. Incompatible 'yung dalawang 'yon kasi marami kang belief system na mali ang paninigarilyo pero ginagawa mo pa rin," she said.

Lastly, there's blind idolatry or when people instantly believe the person they look up to.

"We have deep attachments kapag charismatic 'yung mga individual and binibigyan natin 'yan ng super human ability," she said. "Kung ano na lang sabihin nila, we believe kasi it makes us comfortable."

"Instead of, for example, creating our own philosophies, our own moral compass, nagiging lazy tayo kasi inaasa na lang natin sa isang tao what is good and what is right," she added.

Sharing is not always caring

While sharing information may be a form of care for others, Reyes said that it is essential to be careful about what they intend to impart to their loved ones or followers.

"They're coming from a position of concern. They simply want to share information. 'Yon 'yung sharing is caring [but] it's not necessarily caring," she said.

"Kung concerned talaga kayo sa pagpapakalat ng information, siguraduhin na tama 'yung impormasyon kasi that is how you can actually take care of other people," she added.

To combat the continuous spread of fake news, Gaw said everyone should take part in finding a solution.

READ: Here's how you can spot 'fake news' and fact-check information

"The solution to this is multi-faceted," she said. "It's not just the journalists doing fact-checking, the civil society doing media literacy campaigns. It's the technical literacy that's being taught."

This election season, you may turn to the GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2022 website for more information on the candidates and other guides.

—Franchesca Viernes/MGP, GMA News