That old saying about being able to fool all of the people some of the time and fool some people all of the time may even more true than we’ve thought.
At least according to a new study that appeared in the British Journal of Social Psychology. The study found that people who frequently exaggerate or distort the truth are more likely to be fooled by false and misleading information themselves.
According to the study of some 800 people in the U.S. and Canada, those who regularly try to impress or influence others by using misleading, impressive-sounding misinformation are the ones who frequently buy in to the same false information they spread to others.
The researchers say these kinds of people showed an inability to tell the difference between scientifically accurate facts and impressive-but-meaningless fiction, saying these are people who more likely to believe fake news headlines.
At a time when there is so much talk about fake news and about what’s true and what’s not, this study could serve as a signal to politicians and everyone to do more of what we know we all should do, and what our parents always told us to do, is to tell the truth.
As someone once said, without truth, everything falls apart.
(Photo Getty Images) Students of Unified Educational Centers (CEU) attend a lesson on 'Fake News: access, security and veracity of information', in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 21, 2018. - Media analysis is a compulsory subject in Brazilian schools. (Photo by Miguel SCHINCARIOL / AFP)