Do you believe all the forwards you receive on social media?
In today’s world of 24-hour news cycles, how do you differentiate the fake from the real?
When the propaganda lingers long after its purpose has been served, we see even the false sticks around in our minds, right?
And often, lies can sneak up on you like a bad hangover! Then, it’s time to get wise about the sleeper effect!
This post explores the sleeper effect cognitive bias, explains what it is, how it works, and ways to guard against it in your own life.
Understanding the Sleeper Effect
The sleeper effect is a type of delayed change in attitude. It’s when a message you initially disregard due to a “negative association” becomes more convincing as time passes.
To give you an idea, if you hear something from a source you don’t consider credible, you might initially reject the idea. However, over time, you start to believe or become persuaded by the message.
During election season, we see mud-slinging by the candidates to tarnish each other’s records and reputations. But once the elections are done, false statements fade from memory.
Still, the negative accusations persist, don’t they? Political ads often use misleading statistics to support their claims, resulting in the sleeper effect.
It’s an important reminder that even when debunked, false information can still have lasting effects on our beliefs. If left unnoticed, false statements can be replaced with accurate ones. People may later believe only the revised statement without recalling the false one.
Exploited And Exploiters
The typical victims of the sleeper effect are those exposed to false information that is later retracted. This can include people who receive inaccurate political or advertising messages or even see incorrect news reports.
People who use the sleeper effect typically disseminate false information to gain power or influence.
Politicians, advertisers, and media outlets may all use misinformation to manipulate those exposed. By withdrawing their false claims before they become too well-known, those responsible for creating them can often avoid any negative consequences for their actions.
Day-To-Day Sleeper Effect
- A company sends you an email promoting a sale that you initially ignore or delete. However, after receiving several reminders over the course of a few weeks, you become more interested and decide to take advantage of the sale.
- A news report inaccurately states that a celebrity has been involved in a scandal, leading many people to believe something untrue over time.
- A company launches a new product that you are not interested in. However, after seeing advertisements for it several times over a period of weeks or months, you become more interested and decide to try the product.
- A popular social media post containing incorrect information which is shared widely before being removed by its creator or taken down by the platform itself.
Recognizing When You Are Slipping Into the Sleeper Effect Trap
To identify if you are falling into the trap of the sleeper effect, first, you need to be aware that it exists and how it works. Look out for situations where information is presented but retracted or contradicted later.
Additionally, consider the motivation behind certain pieces of information being presented and whether they may have an agenda behind them.
Please pay attention to how a bit of information is presented and how others receive it. Lastly, try to think critically about any claims made and research them further before accepting them as fact.
Overcoming The Sleeper Effect
Identify the bias
It’s important to be aware of any cognitive biases that you may have, such as the sleeper effect. Once you’ve identified this bias, it’s far easier for you to identify potential traps and make better decisions.
Analyze information
Taking the time to analyze information fully and critically is a great way to escape the sleeper effect trap. Pay attention to details, conclude from facts, and don’t take anything at face value.
Get multiple perspectives
Do not rely solely on your own opinion! Get other people’s views on a particular topic or situation for a more balanced perspective.
Consider consequences
Before making a decision, it can be helpful to think about how that decision could play out in the long run – what are the possible outcomes?
Take time for reflection
We all fall prey to impulsiveness occasionally, so taking some time for reflection can help us make more rational decisions in future situations.
Challenge assumptions
As we become more aware of different cognitive biases, it can be useful to challenge our assumptions and examine our beliefs to gain greater clarity around them.
Seek feedback
Seeking feedback from others can provide valuable insight into situations that can help us recognize when cognitive biases like the sleeper effect influence us.
Final Thoughts
Here goes a famous story of a young boy who was asked to watch over his village’s flock of sheep. Being a naughty lad, to amuse himself, he cried out, “Wolf Wolf!” and watched as the villagers came running to protect the sheep. However, there was no wolf, and the boy laughed at the villagers’ gullibility.
The next day, the boy repeated his prank, and again the villagers came to his aid. But after a few more false alarms, the villagers stopped responding to the boy’s cries of “Wolf!” One day a real wolf eventually did appear and attack the sheep. Now when the boy cried for help, no one came to his rescue!
This story teaches us that if you repeatedly lie or deceive people, they may stop believing you even if you tell the truth. The boy in the story experienced the sleeper effect because his repeated deceitfulness led the villagers to discount the truth.
Finally
Beware of the sleeper effect; it is like a seed planted in your mind that grows with time. That small doubt can turn into a persuasive view. Happy reading, and for more tips on spotting misleading information and protecting yourself against common cognitive biases, kindly subscribe to our blog.
Reference
The above article is based on the book Thinking Clearly; this article is here to help us learn and understand how our minds can be tricked by something called cognitive biases.
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