Illusory-truth effect and fluency heuristics¶
The phenomenon whereby repeated exposure to a statement increases perceived truthfulness, independent of its actual accuracy. Related to broader fluency heuristics in which people use ease-of-processing as a cue for validity, familiarity, and other positive qualities.
Key papers¶
- Effron & Raj (2020) — Misinformation and Morality — Demonstrates a distinct repetition effect in moral judgment (not epistemic belief): repeated headlines feel less unethical to share, suggesting fluency operates via "familiar = acceptable" moral intuitions independent of illusory-truth effects on belief.
- Ecker et al. (2022) — The psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its resistance to correction — Reviews fluency as a cognitive driver of false belief; discusses mechanisms by which mere exposure increases familiarity and perceived truth.