Why does it work on me?
Chapter VI
Psychology
The mental shortcuts that make all of the above work on us.
- Confirmation bias We notice, believe and remember what fits what we already think, which is why the news that pleases you most deserves the hardest look.
- Illusory truth effect Hearing a claim again and again makes it feel true, even when you knew it was false. That is why propaganda repeats itself and why that works.
- Emotional hijacking Strong emotion switches off your fact-checking, so manipulators aim for the feeling first and the claim second, and the furious share happens before the thinking.
- Bandwagon effect We adopt beliefs because others seem to hold them, and likes, view counts and "everyone knows" are the cheapest things on the internet to fake.
- Authority bias A title, a uniform or a lab coat makes a claim feel true before you have checked it, which is why fake experts, cloned doctors and "a general said" work so well.
- Information overload Too much input makes you fall back on shortcuts (headlines, feelings, your tribe), and flooding you with it is a strategy, not an accident.