Why smart people may be more likely to fall for fake news

PHOTO: AFP
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One might suspect scientists of belabouring the obvious with the recent study called Belief In Fake News Is Associated With Delusionality, Dogmatism, Religious Fundamentalism, And Reduced Analytic Thinking.

The conclusion that some people are more gullible than others is the understanding in popular culture - but in the scientific world it's pitted against another widely believed paradigm, shaped by several counter-intuitive studies that indicate we're all equally biased, irrational and likely to fall for propaganda, sales pitches and general nonsense.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 04, 2019, with the headline Why smart people may be more likely to fall for fake news. Subscribe