Estimated mean truth ratings across repetition (repeated, non-repeated) and claim type (science-aligning, skeptic-aligning) in Experiment 1. Note. Error bars show 95% CI. Credit: Jiang et al. 2024, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
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Climate science supporters rated climate-skeptical statements as "truer" after just a single repetition, according to a study published August 7, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE led by Mary Jiang from The Australian National University, Australia, and coauthored by Norbert Schwarz from the University of Southern California, U.S., and colleagues.

The results held true even for the strongest climate science supporters surveyed.

Amidst the influx of content that a person consumes each day, the principle of motivated cognition suggests they are likelier to find truth in the statements that mirror their own beliefs. However, a second phenomenon, the illusory truth effect, suggests that just one repeated exposure to an idea—regardless of what it is—can elevate its perceived validity.

Schwarz and colleagues examined these ideas in the arena of climate science, questioning how self-identified climate science supporters might react when repeatedly exposed to climate-skeptical claims. Would repetition have an effect despite the conviction of their own beliefs?

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