Fake news is a common buzzword these days.

You might like to think you’re too smart to fall for misinformation. But the reality is that research suggests as many as one in ten of us believe everything we see online.

Meanwhile, around a third of us admit we’re unsure about, or don’t even consider, the truthfulness of online information.

But why?

We could try to chalk it up to a lack of intellect, but that’s far from the full picture.

There is some evidence to suggest that higher education levels make you less susceptible. But the truth is that there are complicated psychological factors going on behind the scenes.

These draw us into falling for lies and falsehoods online.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the traits of people who believe everything they see online, and how we can avoid these traps.

1) They’re susceptible to confirmation bias

Psychology tells us that we are all prone to confirmation bias to some extent or another.

This cognitive bias makes us more prone to believing things that already support our existing ideas about the world.

The problem with the internet is that it’s very easy to go searching for information that tells us we are right.

Doctor of Psychology John M. Grohol says the online world is increasingly creating information bubbles based on our personal biases.

“In today’s world, “filter bubbles” — when social media websites tailor their feeds to show you exactly what it is they think you want to see — make it very difficult to undo confirmation bias. If you believe in UFOs, YouTube or Facebook will be happy to confirm the existence of UFOs in a never-ending stream of new videos and posts providing confirming evidence of them.”

We can mistake confirmation bias for intuition and gut feelings, which only further cements our thinking.

2) They are trusting

Being trusting certainly isn’t a bad thing.

Psychologists define it as believing others in the absence of clear-cut reasons to disbelieve.

But the problem is that studies do show that very trusting people are also more likely to be gullible. 

This starts to encompass naivete or foolishness that can make someone more prone to believing unsubstantiated things they see online.

But yet again, this trusting quality is something many of us are subconsciously programmed into.

We’re taught from a very young age to believe what society tells us, whether it’s the government, scientists, academics or mainstream media, etc.

This trust can then backfire on us according to Doctoral Researcher in Sociology at the University of Manchester Chris Waugh.

“Amongst the population of internet users, there appears to be a blind trust in the media that is consumed, people will click on the first google link that appears after a search and take what they see at face value or believe random health theories posted to Facebook. To a certain extent, this seems like the natural result of a generation raised in a world where the internet has always existed.

“Google has provided an infinite source of information for the entirety of most young people’s conscious existence and we therefore instinctually have confidence in it. In addition to this, the blending of traditional sources of news and modern media outlets has caused the blurring of the line between information and entertainment, what once was only provided by journalism and reliable sources can now be uploaded by almost anyone.”

Perhaps the biggest issue with taking everything at face value is that we’re not logically thinking for ourselves.

3) They’re not thinking critically

I mentioned in the intro how education can help to combat misinformation. Part of that is that it encourages us to stop and think before we believe something online. 

Research has shown that people with greater levels of fluid intelligence are less likely to fall for fake news.

That’s the ability to think abstractly, reason quickly, and independently problem-solve without previously acquired knowledge getting in the way.

We need to remember to focus on seeking out quality information in amongst all the quantity available online these days.

Because, as highlighted in Forbes, part of the problem is the endless stream of differing accounts, opinions, and information.

“Instead of browsing a small carefully curated set of high quality informational streams, our online citizenry are thrown into an ocean of almost limitless low-quality information, forced to expend considerable effort to forage for the rare bit of accurate insight.”

Whenever we fail to think logically and engage in critical thinking we leave ourselves in a more vulnerable position.

4) They follow the crowd

They say there is strength in numbers, and that goes for spreading misinformation too.

When everybody else is sharing something it gives it more credibility.

It can create an avalanche effect and before you know it, everyone is being dragged along in the lie.

Information often gets shared amongst like-minded individuals and so we are instinctively more likely to trust that source.

Psychology says that we’re also more likely to believe misinformation when it’s repeated, even if it contradicts what we already know.

So if a group of people tell us something, we find that more powerful and credible compared to just one person telling us. 

Science tells us that human beings are biologically programmed to be social and like to be part of a group.

This leads to a psychological condition known as the bandwagon effect, where behaving the same way as the rest of the group helps us feel more accepted and like we belong.

5) They are hasty 

Impulsiveness never supports accuracy.

We’ve already established that we’re exposed to a lot more information these days.

Once upon a time, we had more limited access to news, which was more likely to have been fact-checked and researched before we set eyes on it. 

As the BBC points out there can be a rush to share information in today’s fast-paced world, which leads to ill-considered and hasty assumptions being widely spread.

“Some news sites are so keen to get the latest scoop that they could rush into publishing it just because it’s popular. Some websites will look like news sites, but in reality are only run by one or two people as a blog.”

Getting to the truth of something usually takes time, especially when the truth is rarely black and white.

Yet we cannot shortcut the time needed if we care about drawing accurate conclusions.

6) They want to feel superior

We all like to feel that we’re right.

It is validating to have our thoughts, ideas, and opinions confirmed. It can give your ego a bit of a boost.

That’s why for some people it makes them feel wise or vindicated when they stumble upon something online that they agree with.

Research has shown that people are more likely to share misinformation when it aligns with their personal identity.

Researcher Shauna Bowes explains how studies have shown conspiracy theorists in particular often enjoy a sense of superiority that comes from standing out from the crowd.

“These results largely map onto a recent theoretical framework advancing that social identity motives may give rise to being drawn to the content of a conspiracy theory, whereas people who are motivated by a desire to feel unique are more likely to believe in general conspiracy theories about how the world works.”

7) They are emotionally driven

Feelings are powerful, but they’re certainly not facts. That’s why they can be the enemy of logical thinking.

We’re more likely to believe something we see online when it elicits strong emotions within us.

As pointed out by the American Psychological Association, research has found that our feelings heavily feed into what we choose to believe.

“The emotional content of misinformation plays a role as well: People are more likely to believe false statements that appeal to emotions such as fear and outrage. They are also more likely to believe misinformation that paints opponents in a negative light than they are to believe misinformation that is negative about their own in-group.”

The same study also noted how anxious people are more susceptible to online lies.

Developing greater emotional awareness can help us to better understand how our emotions can influence us in unhelpful ways.

That way we can better regulate the feelings that tempt us down the wrong path.

Final thoughts: We are all susceptible to misinformation

It’s dangerous to assume that only the most naive amongst us fall for misinformation and lies online.

Whilst we may tell ourselves these people are simply ignorant or stupid, that’s not what the research suggests.

Instead, psychology shows us that our human biases often make us blind to our own errors in judgment.

The fact is that rational people are also capable of believing BS they see online.

If we are to stay wise and separate the facts from the fiction, we have to be more mindful.

That means carefully considering the source of information before believing it and delving deeper into other people’s motivations and potential prejudices, as well as our own.

We need to be prepared to look openly at all sides of an argument before reaching any conclusions.

In short, we should step back and think things through before believing everything we see online.