Imagine that you are viewing the tape of social networks and seeing the heading: “The stewardess hit the face of a 7-month-old child for crying during the flight.”
Such sensational news instantly attracts attention and causes complex emotions. But what will happen if you encounter this news many times? Moreover, what will be your reaction if it turns out that the heading is completely invented?
Research, published in 2023 in the journal Psychological Science, used this heading along with seven other castings. Scientists wanted to understand what effect a multiple repetition of sensational false information on our consciousness has.
The study revealed two psychological effects that play a key role in the formation of our judgments about the news-Clickbait and moral violators:
The effect of moral repetition
This effect lies in the fact that repeated clashes with the same reports on misconduct over time reduce the tendency of people to question their ethical consequences.
This dullness is due to the fact that with each repetition our emotional reactions, especially anger, are weakening. This process is called the “mechanism of affective desensitization.” Reducing the level of anger leads to less severe moral assessments of the violation.
The effect of illusory truth
Another alarming aspect of moral desensitization is associated with the “effect of illusory truth.” This cognitive distortion lies in the fact that with repeated clash with information, we tend to perceive it as more plausible, even if this is not really so.
In the context of viral content, this effect enhances the effect of moral repetition. The more often we hear about any misconduct, the more we tend to believe in its truthfulness (even if it is fiction) and the softer we evaluate its ethical consequences.
Researchers offer several steps that will help us preserve the values and objectivity of judgments:
- Check the facts and responsibly share information
Sensational news is often aimed at challenging an emotional reaction, playing on our indignation and desire to participate in the discussion. Before taking information at face value, check the reliability of the source and carefully evaluate the content. This will ensure that your principles are accurately represented ethically and in accordance with the data before sharing it with others.
- Adhere to a balanced worldview