One of my favorite things to observe and study is the phenomenon called the “continued influence effect” (CIE) which is where misinformation or misleading information continues to influence people’s beliefs & judgments even after the misinformation has been corrected or debunked. CIE highlights the lingering impact of false or inaccurate information on individuals’ thoughts and subsequent decision-making processes. I think societally this has accelerated.
Research shows that when we encounter misinformation, it can create a lasting impression. More so, even after being presented with corrective info, the initial misinformation can still shape perceptions, beliefs & attitudes. This occurs due to factors like cognitive biases, memory distortions, fears or the influence of prior knowledge & preconceived notions. Essentially, even when people are aware that new evidence has been presented by credible sources that verifies the information as true, false or misleading, people still resist even just considering the new information, so they stay stuck & influenced by the original misinformation.
CIE has significant implications in areas such as public opinion, health science, politics and spread of misinformation in the digital age. It underscores the importance of challenging, questioning & correcting false information effectively and highlights the need for all of us to constantly apply our critical thinking skills.
Being unaware of the impact of the continued influence effect can adversely affect our decision-making. It’s like the childhood game of telephone: The original message gets distorted and twisted as it gets passed along from ear to ear. So, next time you hear “news” —fact-check it via multiple sources from all perspectives before you pass it on. You never know when the continued influence effect might rear its ugly head.
So how do we develop critical thinking skills to counter the phenomenon of continued influence effect so we can make more informed judgments and choices. Here are some strategies to enhance critical thinking:
– Question assumptions: Encourage skepticism and examine the underlying assumptions of the information presented. Ask yourself why you believe something and whether there is evidence to support it.
– Seek diverse perspectives: Expose yourself to a variety of viewpoints and opinions, even those that may challenge your beliefs. This helps you evaluate information from different angles and consider alternative explanations.
– Verify information: Fact-check the information you encounter using reliable sources. Look for evidence, corroborating sources, and expert opinions to support or debunk claims.
– Evaluate the source: Assess the credibility and expertise of the sources providing the information. Consider factors such as their qualifications, reputation, potential biases, and conflicts of interest.
– Consider biases and emotions: Be aware of your own biases and emotional responses that may influence your judgment. Try to approach information objectively and critically, considering the evidence rather than personal preferences or emotions.
– Develop information literacy skills: Enhance your ability to evaluate and interpret different types of information, such as statistics, scientific studies, and news articles. Learn to distinguish between reliable sources and those that may be unreliable or biased.
– Reflect on your own thinking: Regularly reflect on your own thinking processes and be open to revising your beliefs when presented with new evidence or alternative viewpoints. Cultivate intellectual humility and a willingness to change your mind.
– Engage in thoughtful discussions: Engaging in respectful, evidence-based discussions with others can help refine your own thinking and expose you to different perspectives. Constructive debates can challenge your assumptions and improve your critical thinking skills.
– Stay informed about cognitive biases: Familiarize yourself with common cognitive biases that can impact decision-making, such as confirmation bias, availability bias, or anchoring bias. Being aware of these biases can help you mitigate their influence on your thinking.
By consistently applying these strategies, individuals can develop their critical thinking skills, become more discerning consumers of information, and better resist the continued influence effect.
Exercises to Become Consciously Aware of Continued Influence Effect
IF you want to take this a step further to understand how and why you hold on dearly and tightly to certain conscious and maybe even unconscious perceptions, there are exercises you can try. Practicing reflection on your own thinking processes can be a valuable process for developing greater self-awareness and improving your critical thinking skills. Here are some strategies you can use to practice reflection:
- Journaling: Set aside regular time to write down your thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on various topics. When reflecting, consider why you hold certain beliefs, what evidence supports them, and whether there are any biases or assumptions influencing your thinking.
- Questioning: Challenge your own assumptions and beliefs by asking yourself probing questions. For example, ask why you hold a particular belief, what evidence or reasoning supports it, and whether there are alternative perspectives or evidence you may be overlooking.
- Self-assessment: Evaluate your own thinking processes and identify any cognitive biases or logical fallacies that may be influencing your judgments. Reflect on moments when you may have fallen victim to these biases and consider how you could approach similar situations differently in the future.
- Seek feedback: Discuss your thoughts and ideas with others who may have different perspectives. Ask for their feedback and insights. This can help you gain new insights, uncover blind spots, and challenge your own thinking.
- Learn from mistakes: When you realize that you have made a thinking error or held an incorrect belief, take the opportunity to reflect on why it happened and what you can learn from it. Use these experiences as lessons to refine your critical thinking skills.
- Engage in metacognition: Metacognition refers to thinking about thinking. During and after engaging with new information or making decisions, pause and reflect on the mental processes you used. Consider how you arrived at your conclusion, what evidence or reasoning you relied on, and whether there were any biases or shortcuts that may have influenced your thinking.
- Engage in mindfulness or meditation: Practicing mindfulness or meditation can help develop self-awareness and the ability to observe your thoughts without judgment. This can create space for reflection and help you recognize patterns or biases in your thinking.
Remember that reflection is an ongoing process, and it takes time and practice to develop the skills necessary to notice, question and correct the phenomenon of continued influence effect or CIE. But, by intentionally setting aside time for reflection and applying critical thinking skills to your own thoughts and beliefs, you can become more self-aware and improve your ability to think critically.
© 2024 Dian Griesel
