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Rethinking Knowledge's Impact on the Illusory Truth Effect.
Anat Shechter1, Karl Christoph Klauer1
1Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|December 29, 2025
Summary
The illusory truth effect shows repeated information is more believable, even with prior knowledge. New research suggests knowledge, not just fluency, plays a key role in this effect.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- The illusory truth effect describes how repeated information gains credibility.
- A previous model suggested fluency cues dominate over knowledge utilization.
- This model explained participant behavior better than one prioritizing knowledge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To refine and test models explaining the illusory truth effect.
- To investigate the relative roles of knowledge and fluency in belief formation.
Main Methods:
- Reanalysis of existing data.
- Conducted two new experiments (N = 324) with conditions to differentiate between theoretical models.
Main Results:
- Reanalysis showed comparable model performance.
- New experimental data provided strong evidence for a model prioritizing knowledge processes over fluency.
Conclusions:
- Findings challenge the dominance of fluency cues in the illusory truth effect.
- Suggests knowledge processes may have precedence.
- Highlights the need for further research to resolve the roles of knowledge and fluency.
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