Neuroscientist explains why it’s difficult to change someone’s mind after hearing something on the Internet

It has become common practice for family members or friends to believe misinformation they see online as truth, even when there are countless reliable sources that can easily dispute it. It can be exhausting going back and forth with someone who can’t see beyond their narrow beliefs, especially when the source of their knowledge is false.

However, a neuroscientist named Dr. Rachel Barr noted that there may be a logical explanation for why it is difficult to change a person’s mind about things they see on the Internet.

In a TikTok video, Barr provided the perfect explanation of how our algorithms can influence our brains and the type of information we process.

A neuroscientist has explained why it’s so difficult to change someone’s mind after hearing something online, even if they see evidence that it’s a lie.

“Why is it so difficult to change someone’s mind after they’ve been exposed to misinformation online? You’re asking the right girl because I’m Rachel, a neuroscientist,” Barr began in her video.

She explained that nothing captures human attention like fear, rage, shame, loneliness and the algorithms that dominate our phones across various social media apps. It’s no secret that algorithms are highly personalized based on the type of content a user interacts with, and they quickly learn what grabs a person’s attention.

RELATED: If You Believe These 7 Common Lies, You’ll Never Live the Life You Want

“We scroll, and it makes us feel bad, which makes us scroll more, which makes us feel worse,” Barr continued. “This is where we really get caught up in the trap. The more you feel things like fear and shame, the more you and your brain will consciously, rather than consciously, work to build a narrative around it.”

Barr compared it to humans living in the wild. Our fears, in the most primitive sense, will be associated with running away from tigers and other dangerous wild animals. We don’t have these fears now, but our fight or flight response is still rooted in these instinctive reactions. So, when we scroll on our phones and feel fear, our brains try to justify the emotions that the algorithm is using against us.

“These justifications are not trivial; these are fundamental shifts in worldview, fundamental shifts in the sense of identity. Reversing these excuses and changes is very difficult, even if you can, and you can change someone’s mind on a factual level, on that initial emotional level. the residue tends to stick.”

The neuroscientist noted that this is not a problem of self-control or something that people can easily avoid.

She emphasized that this “emotional residue” tends to persist no matter how much information they consume that contradicts their opinions, including what ideas they support and who they vote for. In a follow-up video, Barr explained whether self-policing is a viable option for protecting against online misinformation.

The short answer, as Barr explained, was “no.” She noted that numerous studies have concluded that being aware of cognitive biases actually helps us filter out information that doesn’t yet align with what we personally believe and follow. “Yes, being aware of these cognitive biases does slightly reduce their ability to control your behavior and worldview.”

Barr continued: “But less than you think. Real power comes from actively changing your behavior. So you might think that you can scroll through social media and control what you integrate and what you discard. We tend to forget that the brain is stolen. behind the scenes, doing my thing.”

No matter how hard we try, our brains constantly influence our thoughts and behaviors, which are sometimes beyond our control or even our awareness. That’s why Barr stressed the importance of actively spending less time on the impact of this stimulus. You need to actively seek out information that contradicts your beliefs in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the issues.

RELATED: ‘Alexa’ Tells Woman She Can’t Promote a Specific Political Party After She’s Asked Why She Should Vote for Trump — But Immediately Gives Reasons to Vote for Harris

In the study, viewers were paid to change the news channel they were receiving information from, and the results were surprising.

Barr’s insistence that we must always look beyond our own views and beliefs dovetails interestingly enough with a 2022 study in which Fox News viewers were paid to watch CNN for an entire month.

Given the constant stream of misinformation that hits Fox News, many consumers, mostly older white Trump supporters, are often written off as hopeless by Democrats and progressives.

That’s why two political scientists paid a group of regular Fox News viewers to watch CNN for a month instead. At the end of the period, the researchers obtained surprising results; Some Fox News watchers have changed their minds on a number of key issues, including the US response to the pandemic and Democrats’ views on police.

The study’s findings proved that not only can political views change, but that our media consumption can also actually influence our ideologies.

“I think the most surprising finding is that people switching from Fox News to CNN for a month had some effect,” Joshua Kalla, one of the political scientists, told the Guardian. “People who watch cable news tend to be very politically engaged and have strong opinions about politics, which limits the media’s influence. Likewise, they also tend to be strong partisans who may not trust any source not affiliated with their party.”

We should always encourage people who are inclined to believe misinformation to seek alternative viewpoints for a more balanced view of issues. More often than not, there are studies, studies, and authoritative sources that disprove many of the things people believe to be true.

Whether they watch Fox News or are avid users of Twitter and TikTok, diversifying their media consumption will always lead to a broader understanding of the world.

RELATED: 45-Year-Old Freshman ‘Post-Republican’ Describes Differences Between Two Parties and What Inspired Him to Switch Sides

Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics focused on psychology, relationships and the human experience.