From: AlleyCat <katt@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh,can.politics,alt.politics.trump,alt.politics.liberalism,alt.politics.democrats,alt.politics.usa.republican
Subject: Liberals And How Much They Really Are Like Animals
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2024 19:12:31 -0500
Organization: AlleyCat Computing, Inc.
https://x.com/i/status/1803291964424536404
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Psychologists Identify Why Usenet Idiots Believe Fake News
Thought processes and belief systems that people develop early in life to help
protect against the anxiety and stress of an uncertain world may help explain
why some individuals fall victim to what has come to be known as fake news, but
psychologists can offer some strategies to defend against it, according to a
series of presentations at the annual convention of the American Psychological
Association.
"At its core is the need for the brain to receive confirming information that
harmonizes with an individual's existing views and beliefs," said Mark
Whitmore, PhD, assistant professor of management and information systems at
Kent State University's College of Business Administration. "In fact, one could
say the brain is hardwired to accept, reject, misremember or distort
information based on whether it is viewed as accepting of or threatening to
existing beliefs."
The key to people's accepting fake news as true, despite evidence to the
contrary, is a phenomenon known as confirmation bias, or the tendency for
people to seek and accept information that confirms their existing beliefs
while rejecting or ignoring that which contradicts those beliefs, he said.
Many of these beliefs and biases are formed early in life when children begin
to distinguish between fantasy and reality, according to Eve Whitmore, PhD, a
developmental psychologist with Western Reserve Psychological Associates in
Stow, Ohio, who also presented at the session. Some of these beliefs can be
based in fantasy, and that can lead to what she calls nonsensical thinking.
"From the beginning, parents reinforce to their children the skill of
pretending in order to cope with the realities inherent in culture and
society," she said. "Children's learning about make-believe and mastery of it
becomes the basis for more complex forms of self-deception and illusion into
adulthood."
Parents commonly encourage young children to engage in pretend play. Through
this pretend play, children often practice little life scenarios, like playing
house, that help to reinforce cultural norms and beliefs and aid in
assimilation as they age. The flip side is that children also learn that
sometimes it's OK to make believe things are true, even though they know they
are not, according to Eve Whitmore.
In adolescence, people develop critical thinking skills and some begin to
question what they were taught as children, perhaps religious beliefs or even
the belief that authority figures such as parents or even the government
leaders are always right. But going against one's parents' beliefs can cause
friction within the family, and, despite evidence to the contrary, some are
willing to rationalize those false beliefs in order to avoid upsetting their
parents, she said.
It may begin as a conscious decision, but as rationalization piles on top of
rationalization over the years, these processes can become unconscious. As
people reach adulthood, many of these false beliefs and biases formed as
children, instead of being given a good critical examination, are simply
accepted and continue to influence how a person perceives his or her world,
according to Mark Whitmore.
"In this way, childhood beliefs persevere throughout a person's life and serve
as a framework for processing information in adulthood," he said. "In
attempting to confirm preconceived ideas, a person may resort to both fiction
and reality in order to preserve these beliefs."
The rise of the Internet and social media has only compounded the problem of
fake news, according to Mark Whitmore, upending the traditional news model
where an individual receives from a small number of outlets.
"In today's media environment, the channels are multiple, and the messages are
often simultaneous and contradictory," he said. "The receiver is often faced
with paradoxical and seemingly absurd messages. It becomes easier to cling to a
simple fiction than a complicated reality."
Psychology offers a few evidence-based strategies for defending against the
pull of fake news, according to Mark Whitmore. One key to avoiding the pull of
confirmation bias is reducing the anxiety that makes it so appealing.
"One positive defense strategy is humor. Watching late night comedy or
political satire, while not actually altering or changing the source of the
stressor, can help reduce the stress and anxiety associated with it," he said.
"Another is sublimation, where you channel your negative feelings into
something positive, such as running for office, marching in a protest or
volunteering for a social cause."
He also recommends that people cultivate an open mind by deliberately exposing
themselves to different points of view. This can help them moderate their
viewpoints and make them less extreme, he said.
Critical thinking is also key. People must learn to question what they are told
and this should begin in childhood, said Mark Whitmore.
"Developing a greater degree of skepticism in children, by encouraging them to
ask why and to question, diminishes confirmation bias," he said. "All of these
strategies have substantial research supporting their beneficial effects."