Continued influence effect

The continued influence effect is a cognitive bias where people continue to maintain beliefs based on misinformation, even after it has been debunked. Despite corrections and factual information being presented, the initial misinformation persists in influencing beliefs and decisions.

How it works

When individuals are exposed to information, even if it is later proven false, the original information can stick and linger in their cognitive space. This occurs because of mental anchoring—the initial piece of information becomes a part of one's network of beliefs and expectations. As a result, corrections may not fully overwrite the misinformation because cognitive inertia favors the original data. The bias is amplified by emotional investment, repeated exposure, supportive anecdotal evidence, and social reinforcement.

Examples

• In media, a false news report can cause public panic or outrage. Even after the retraction of the report, some individuals continue to harbor feelings of concern or mistrust based on the initial misinformation.
• In medical settings, if a patient reads misleading information about a treatment online, even after subsequent consultation with a doctor, they may still harbor doubts or fears based on the incorrect data they first encountered.

Consequences

The continued influence effect can lead to enduring misconceptions and poor decision-making. It may skew public opinion, enforce stereotypes, or lead to mistrust in institutions and experts. It is a significant issue in areas where misinformation can have profound implications, such as public health, politics, and science communication.

Counteracting

To mitigate this bias, it is essential to present corrections in a clear and concise manner promptly after misinformation is introduced. Efforts should include creating an emotional impact or narrative around the correction, providing alternative causal explanations that replace the original misinformation, and repeatedly affirming the correction across multiple platforms. Critical thinking skills and media literacy can also empower individuals to evaluate information more effectively.

Critiques

A critique of studying the continued influence effect is the complexity involved in isolating variables in real-world scenarios where multiple sources of misinformation and correction exist. Additionally, not all individuals are equally susceptible to this bias, and demographic factors like age and education may mediate its effects.

Fields of Impact

Also known as

Relevant Research

• Misinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and Successful Debiasing

  Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K., Seifert, C. M., Schwarz, N., & Cook, J. (2012)

  Psychological Science in the Public Interest

• Sources of the continued influence effect: When misinformation in memory affects later inferences

  Johnson, H. M., & Seifert, C. M. (1994)

  Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition