The Psychology of Fake News: Why We Fall for Political Lies

Uncovering the Mental Traps That Make Us Believe the Unbelievable

You're scrolling through your social media feed and spotting a headline that makes your blood boil or your heart race. Maybe it promises shocking truths or dire consequences. You click, you share, and only later do you realise it was completely false. It’s a pattern millions of people repeat daily, often without even realising it. But why? Why do so many of us continue to believe and share fake news, even when it’s been debunked?

To understand this, we need to step into the emotional and psychological mechanics that power misinformation. Fake news doesn’t rely on facts; it thrives on feelings. Outrage, fear, and hope are some of the most potent tools in the misinformation playbook. Outrage pulls us in by giving us someone or something to blame. Fear motivates immediate action and creates a sense of urgency, while hope taps into our deepest desires for simple solutions to complex problems. These emotions bypass our rational filters and trigger impulsive reactions. By the time we realise what happened, the share button has already been pressed.

But emotional manipulation is only part of the story. Our own cognitive wiring makes us even more vulnerable. Two psychological phenomena, in particular, make fake news dangerously persuasive: the availability heuristic and the Dunning-Kruger effect.

image credits: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-published-handbook-fake-news-and-disinformation-media

The availability heuristic is our brain’s tendency to rely on information that is easily recalled. If you’ve seen a certain claim multiple times, for example, “seeing repeated news about immigration crimes makes people overestimate the threat immigrants pose,” it starts to feel true, even if it isn’t. Repetition breeds familiarity, and familiarity, in our minds, often gets confused with truth.

Then there’s the Dunning-Kruger effect, which describes how people with limited knowledge on a topic often overestimate their understanding of it. In the age of TikTok explainers and viral X (formerly known as Twitter) threads, it’s easy to feel like an expert after watching a 30-second video. The problem is that shallow knowledge can give a false sense of confidence, making us more likely to reject expert consensus in favour of simplified, misleading narratives.

These psychological traps are amplified and accelerated by the environments where most of us consume news today: social media platforms. These platforms are designed to maximise engagement, not truth. Algorithms curate our feeds to show us more of what we like and agree with, which means that once we start interacting with certain types of content (whether it's political rants, conspiracy theories, or feel-good hoaxes), we see more of the same. Over time, this creates echo chambers, where opposing views are filtered out and misinformation circulates freely without challenge.

Nowhere is this more evident—or more dangerous—than in coordinated disinformation campaigns like those run by Russia. Since at least 2014, Russian operatives have used fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms to spread divisive content in the United States and Europe. Their goal wasn’t always to get people to believe specific lies, but rather to sow confusion, inflame tensions, and erode trust in democratic institutions. Some accounts supported progressive causes like Black Lives Matter, while others pushed far-right talking points, all to deepen divisions and destabilise societies from within. The fact that these campaigns worked so well underscores how vulnerable even educated, well-meaning people can be to emotional and psychological manipulation.

Image credits: https://www.friday.ie/blog/echo-chambers-the-argument-for-awareness-campaigns/

So, how can we fight back?

The first step is awareness. The next time you read a viral post or a sensational headline, pause. Ask yourself: Who benefits from this being shared? Is this designed to inform me, or provoke me? If it’s evoking strong emotions, that’s a cue to take a step back and check the facts. Use reputable sources like Snopes, PolitiFact, or the Associated Press. Google the claim. Look for reporting that includes evidence and context, not just opinions or anecdotes.

Equally important is the need to diversify your information diet. Follow voices from different backgrounds, political leanings, and regions. Read long-form journalism instead of just scrolling headlines. Be willing to challenge your own assumptions, and above all, stay humble about what you know and what you don’t.

Ask yourself: What would change my mind on this issue? If the answer is “nothing,” that’s a red flag. True critical thinking requires openness, not just scepticism.

At its core, the fight against fake news isn’t just about separating truth from lies; it’s about rebuilding trust. Trust in facts, in institutions, and each other. And that starts with each of us becoming more conscious consumers of information.

The next time you're tempted to share that outrageous story, pause. You might be the last line of defence between truth and a viral lie.

By Drishti Sharma