People better remember who said a false statement compared to a true statement.

What is it about?

Communication is essential for human life, but carries with it the threat of misleading or misguided information. In this study, we investigate how the mind defends itself against misinformation. Specifically, we tested the idea that people remember the speaker of false messages more so than true messages, as this helps with the ongoing evaluation of the speaker and message. Across four memory experiments, participants showed better memory not for everything a person said, but selectively for messages that were inconsistent with preexisting beliefs. This memory advantage also extended to the place and time at which these messages were communicated. Interestingly, over extended periods of time, we also found that memory was strongest for the speakers of false messages, more so than the place at which the message was said.

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Photo by Andre Ouellet on Unsplash

Photo by Andre Ouellet on Unsplash

Why is it important?

In the present day, the threat of "fake news," political disinformation, and conspiracies seem more salient than ever. The threats of misinformation have also existed across human evolutionary history. The current study provides the first evidence for an important means by which the mind defends itself against misinformation. We found that the mind selectively links false statements to their speaker, aiding in the further evaluation of those statements and their speaker. This study also tells us something new about how memory works. We found the first evidence that a false statement by itself can result in enhanced memory for its surrounding context.

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