Despite what your uncle swears by at every holiday dinner, the "fact" that we only use 10% of our brains is false. Science has shown that we essentially use 100% of our brains 100% of the time. So why the heck do so many people cling to—and spread—this false belief? Keep reading to find out. 🧠
Read time: 3.1 minutes ⚡
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Imagine this… You're mindlessly scrolling through your TikTok feed when you see a post from a wellness influencer that stops you dead in your tracks. "Did you know that drinking lemon water first thing in the morning clears up breakouts?" the influencer says, holding a lemon the size of her hand for good measure. "It does? That's interesting," you think as you watch the 30-second video before you resume scrolling. An hour later (don't judge the screen time), you stumble upon a different influencer on Instagram who says the exact same thing about the magical lemon water in a Reel. The crazy thing is, your coworker parrots the same claim at lunch the next day between bites of her chicken salad sandwich.
On your way home from work, you stop by the grocery store to pick up some chicken breast and salad mix for dinner. And while walking through the produce section, you see them: The skin-clearing lemons to add to your water tomorrow morning. Before you know it, you're tossing a bag of lemons into your basket—no questions asked. Why did you believe this statement about lemon water without fact-checking it? In today's edition of Why We Buy 🧠 we'll explore the Illusory Truth Effect—why we believe statements simply because we've heard them before. Let's get into it.
🧠 The Psychology of the Illusory Truth Effect
In a 1977 study, researchers brought college students into their lab three times over six weeks. Each time, these participants heard 60 plausible true and false statements covering topics like sports, politics, and biological science. They were asked to rate how valid each one was. The twist? Some statements were repeated across sessions. The result? Participants rated repeated statements as more accurate—even if they were false.
When we see something repeatedly, it becomes easier for our brains to process—and trust. Because our brains take that ease as a signal that the information must be true. Think of it like this: The brain runs on System 1 (fast, automatic) and System 2 (slow, analytical) thinking. Most of the time, we're in System 1 mode, cruising on autopilot and taking mental shortcuts. So when information feels familiar, System 1 says, "Yep, that checks out," without triggering the need to dig deeper and fact-check. Smart, ethical marketers don't exploit this cognitive bias. Instead, they harness it to build trust for their beneficial products.
🤑 How To Apply This
Alright, so how can you apply this right now to sell more?
Messaging Create a sticky slogan For 70 years, Disneyland has called itself the "Happiest Place on Earth." Is it? We don't know. But you've seen it in commercials, on billboards, in their parks for decades. The result? It's ingrained in our brains.
It's a smart slogan that stuck like glue because it ties into emotion (happiness) and nostalgia (childhood memories). So every time you hear the phrase, your brain links it to those warm, fuzzy feelings—even if your last Disney trip involved a two-hour line to get into Space Mountain and overpriced churros.
E-commerce Use credibility stamps to back up your message and stand out Natural deodorants have an *ahem* stinky reputation. So Lumē doesn't just expect you to believe their natural deodorant works. That's why they plaster "doctor developed" across their website, ads, and social posts.
Pairing repetition with authority creates a double-whammy effect. You see "doctor developed" again and again. So each time, it reinforces the idea that this product is actually trustworthy and backed by science, even if you've never looked up Dr. Shannon Klingman. So when you're in the market for a natural deodorant, you're more likely to reach for Lumē.
Consumer goods Be unapologetically honest to build trust Dave's Killer Bread doesn't hide its founder's past. Instead, they put it front and center. Dave Dahl's 15 years in prison became a cornerstone for the bread brand, which provides second chances to people with similar pasts through stable employment.
This radical transparency placed on the side of their bread bags creates repetition in a different way. The more people see these bold, value-driven messages, the more they like and trust the brand. And trust is what turns one-time buyers into loyal BreadHeads.
💥 The Short of It
Repetition makes things feel true… even when they're not. (But because you're an ethical marketer, we know you wouldn't tout things that *aren't* true.) The more your audience sees your message, the more familiar it becomes. And that familiarity builds trust, belief, and ultimately, action. That's why you don't need to be the loudest brand to win. You just need to keep smartly showing up. Until next time, happy selling!
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