MISCONCEPTIONS ARE CONCERNING
In this article, we’ll dive into daily misconceptions and their impacts, based on the new book Misbeliefs by Prof. Dan Ariely (*). In a time when everyone clings to their own version of truth, this topic has been on my mind lately.
Dan Ariely, the James B. Duke Professor at Duke University, is a leading figure in psychology and behavioral economics. His previous major book in Turkey, Predictably Irrational, was followed by several others translated into Turkish.
In Misbeliefs, Ariely explores and questions our misconceptions, drawing from his experiences and those of the people he knows. The book also includes scales and self-testing suggestions. The introduction, titled “Demonization,” explains how the book came to be. Even if you usually skip introductions, I highly recommend reading this one.
Ariely offers insights into why people fall into misconceptions, dividing them into four categories:
– Emotional Elements
– Cognitive Elements
– Personality-Related Elements
– Social Elements
The book examines why people are prone to misconceptions within these categories. Although misconceptions can be influenced by political ideas and ideologies, they can affect anyone, regardless of their beliefs.
Humans have an inherent need to believe in something, whether it’s a religion or an ideology. When these beliefs are updated or challenged, they can turn into misconceptions for their staunch followers. Philosophers’ thoughts, even if they seem contradictory over time, often share similarities and offer fragments of truth. Isn’t life a mix of these diverse perspectives? This topic raises many questions, so let’s explore it together.
WHY DO WE CLING TO ILLOGICAL BELIEFS?
Because we find them logical,
Because they are dogmas, we have faith in,
Because we continue to be loyal and stubborn followers, even when faced with outdated philosophies or theories that have become partially or wholly obsolete…
But that’s not the main issue here. We are talking about the “misbeliefs” arising from the unregulated, unconventional presentations of information we encounter daily through communication and easily accessible digital knowledge repositories. For example, the shape of the C-19 virus, how it spreads… whether UFOs exist if AI will take our jobs and control us… Just like the beliefs that divine messages were sent to some people after the last prophet, seeking help from the dead, and believing in fortune-tellers and witches…
In his book “Misbeliefs” (*), author Dan Ariely examines our tendency to fall for such beliefs through four elements: Emotional, Cognitive, Personality-Related, and Social Factors. Although these factors are distinct, they can interact with one another and quickly escalate the chances of adopting false beliefs. They don’t operate in isolation; instead, they also have a compounding effect. We should note that these factors are especially influential among adolescents of all ages who have difficulty keeping up with rapid societal changes, to the point where they can nearly disrupt social harmony and morality.
1. Emotional Factors
We all experience predictable and unpredictable stresses in our lives. In this sense, according to the author, stress can vary significantly. Predictable stress might be completing reports or paying off debts each month. Unpredictable stress, on the other hand, includes situations like sudden health problems, natural disasters, losing your job unexpectedly, or the sudden death of a loved one. This type of stress is as unexpected as it is difficult to manage, and in such cases, we might feel like we have lost control—this is learned helplessness.
According to research conducted, when a person repeatedly encounters uncontrollable stress, their willingness to take action decreases, their problem-solving abilities decline, and their self-esteem suffers. This is why learned helplessness is linked to a higher risk of depression.
By nature, stress is cumulative and negatively impacts cognitive functions and decision-making processes. According to the author, individuals tend to misinterpret all emotions, including stress.
The author’s suggestion, which I find very appropriate, is to try to reframe your emotions. View stress and the changes you encounter in life not as destructive and unexpected events but as opportunities for self-actualization. It is indeed true. Our cognitive framework has the capacity for this.
The book also addresses the concept of resilience, noting that it strengthens with social support and diminishes in the face of economic inequality. This is closely related to a psychological phenomenon known as “secure attachment.” Secure attachment starts with the relationships we build with our parents in childhood. Parents who foster a sense of trust in their children contribute to their resilience. In adulthood, relationships should support our ability to handle stress, so cultivating reliable and deep connections enhances our emotional resilience.
Under stress, people feel pressured, begin asking questions, and seek answers. They try to regain control.
When they find a “villain” to blame, the stressed person experiences temporary relief, along with a sense of control. The author likens this to the relief an obsessive individual feels from compulsive behaviors, such as hand-washing. Similarly, when a stressed person watches videos of a villain they can blame, they experience a temporary sense of relief, but ultimately, it leaves them feeling worse in the long run.
The stories that misbelievers cling to, like conspiracy theories, can be incredibly intricate. This complexity allows content creators to produce even more material, and the more detailed the story, the more convincing it appears to stress individuals searching for answers. According to the “proportionality bias,” people tend to believe that major or significant problems must have major causes. Complex stories cater to this craving for detailed information, making misbelievers feel more empowered.
Dan Ariely suggests that such misleading stories are often crafted to stir up hatred. They could easily be examples of fifth-column activities (espionage, sabotage, and intelligence). It is important to approach every piece of information with suspicion and caution before analyzing it.
2. Cognitive Factors
When stress drags us down, we start searching for answers and looking for a villain to blame, and these cognitive factors lead us deeper into the realm of misbelief. The human mind does not always question our beliefs and ideas. Instead, we often rely on trusted experts and familiar sources, rarely revisiting our views. Nowadays, TV shows, which have become a staple of our evening entertainment, not only spread misbeliefs but also normalize inappropriate behaviors. In fact, there is a growing sense that there might be a hidden agenda at play, with some “big brother” or societal mastermind pulling the strings behind the scenes.
When searching for the truth, people often fall into the trap of confirmation bias, seeking out information that supports their existing beliefs instead of challenging them. Once someone is convinced of something, they work hard to affirm its validity. The fear of facing potential solutions can lead us to deny the problems themselves, causing us to avoid addressing the issue altogether.
Conspiracy theories are designed to exploit cognitive biases. When our thinking is flawed or when we have excessive confidence in our understanding, the situation worsens. For example, when searching for information online, we often phrase our queries to reinforce what we already believe. For instance, someone believing the association between vaccines and autism might search using the term “Vaccines cause autism,” leading them to information that confirms their existing bias. The results they find will likely reinforce their preconceived notions.
To counter this, try searching for the exact opposite of what you believe. Exploring both sides of an issue will yield more detailed and comprehensive results, helping to guard against confirmation bias.
Despite the complexity of the world, people are often satisfied with simple explanations. Typically, we don’t delve deeply into information but settle for a superficial understanding, which contributes to the formation of misbeliefs.
3. Personality-Related Factors
Personality, in a broad sense, is defined by individual differences. Some people have been observed to be more prone to misbeliefs than others. People aren’t always consistent; they often act in ways that contradict their usual personality. This is known as a “personality situation,” where “temporary changes in personality” occur under certain conditions, leading to a brief, atypical behavior, such as someone becoming angry in traffic… The first city where I seriously began my career was Jeddah, which, with its evolving infrastructure and roads, resembled a modern American city. However, many locals, having recently transitioned from desert life to urban living, were adjusting from riding camels to driving cars. This led to a Western proverb: “An Arab is a good person, just not when driving!” :)) Just think, we all do things while driving that we would never do as pedestrians!
When analyzing personality, we often assume that a dominant trait will dictate behavior across all situations. For example, we might expect a generous person to always be generous, a creative individual to consistently show creativity, or a narcissist to always prioritize themselves. However, this assumption is not entirely accurate. Science reveals that personality is more like a small current in a vast river—it’s just one component of the larger picture. In essence, a single personality trait alone is not sufficient to make someone prone to misbeliefs.
Common Personality Traits Observed by the Author:
Lack of Control:
Numerous experiments demonstrate how the human mind is constantly searching for patterns to make sense of the world. However, when our voluntary control weakens, our mind, even if it has to invent patterns, helps us interpret the world by creating connections.
Intuitive Methods:
These are the decision-making shortcuts everyone uses, but they can also be defined as a personality trait. Overreliance on intuition, however, can lead to the adoption of false beliefs.
Intellectual Humility:
People with high intellectual humility are more open to the possibility that their beliefs might be wrong. They value strong evidence, consider why others might disagree, and take opposing views seriously. This openness makes them less prone to believing in conspiracy theories or misinformation. However, even those with false beliefs may sometimes present themselves as humble in their discussions.
Illusory Correlation:
We often observe changes in our environment and naturally assume that these changes are connected, even when they are not. This tendency is known as illusory correlation. For instance, some individuals might feel more energetic after taking vitamins, not necessarily because the vitamins work, but because the act of taking them shifts their focus and expectations.
Hindsight Bias:
As the name suggests, hindsight bias is the tendency to feel like you “knew it all along.” It’s akin to writing a conspiracy theory after the fact, using selected evidence to support it. This is known as hindsight bias.
Narcissism:
Narcissism also contributes to the formation of false beliefs. Stress can amplify these tendencies, as narcissistic individuals under pressure are more likely to adopt false beliefs. The increased stress heightens their need to regain control, further intensifying their narcissistic traits.
4. Social Factors
Social forces play a significant role in leading a person toward false beliefs. Feelings of exclusion can drive individuals toward these beliefs. Social attraction arises when we feel excluded by friends and family and start finding a sense of belonging in a new community.
Research has shown that even a small experience of exclusion can be extremely significant, with the possibility of having a highly negative impact on a person. When faced with negative behaviors from family or social circles, a person may become more interested in false beliefs.
Your social environment may reinforce false beliefs or, conversely, false beliefs may drive you to seek out a new social circle. As feelings of exclusion grow stronger, your commitment to your new social group becomes deeper.
Social Acceleration:
Cognitive dissonance—when a person holds two contradictory beliefs—can double the intensity of false beliefs. Cognitive dissonance can strengthen false beliefs, and a person’s actions can lead to changes in their thinking. When it comes to false beliefs, most potential actions are social, such as talking with others or spreading unverified information.
The desire for social status can lead to polarization, and the fear of losing status or relationships within a new social group makes it hard to leave. Driven by the fear of social exclusion, a person clings to the new community, making it more challenging for their false beliefs to shift.
Can we learn to trust again, or do we have the strength to remain skeptical?
According to Ariely, the harmful effects of false beliefs will not diminish in the future; in fact, they will become even stronger. This is something I find deeply concerning, as trust is one of the fundamental components of a healthy society. False beliefs undermine trust and pose serious risks to our ability to collaborate and overcome challenges together. The trust once present between individuals, as well as in governments and institutions, has significantly eroded. This growing distrust feeds into a vicious cycle, perpetuating further mistrust.
When a cycle of distrust begins, it is crucial to make efforts to break it and rebuild trust. In this context, the government, with its asymmetric power, should lead the way in establishing trust; however, the book leaves the question of who should take the first step in social relationships open…
We cannot always expect people to make the right decisions when faced with complex information. Just as we rely on heating, cooling devices, and appropriate clothing to cope with physical limitations in extreme weather, we must use—and even invent—technology to address our mental limits and constraints. Only in this way can we achieve trust and high performance.
Understanding people is promising, and empathy is crucial; just like I mentioned in a previous article of mine (https://muratulker.com/y/empati-mi-sempati-mi/).
After going through all this, it should be pretty clear that false beliefs have a huge impact on our lives and can be a serious social threat. They are not something we can just brush aside easily. We need to rethink our education system to tackle this issue. Even adults need to be better educated about digital life and social media. If we don’t, the trust in our society will keep crumbling, and that’s a big problem. It makes me wonder why, despite all our progress, we struggle with this, and I can’t help but feel a bit worried.
(*) Ariely, D. (2024). Yanlış İnanışlar (Misbelief) İstanbul: Optimist.
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