Lecture Notes: Why Do We Believe Lies?

Introduction

• MRI machine used to study brain reactions to lies.
• Everyone lies and believes in lies.
• Exploration of why we lie, believe lies, and what can be done about it.

MIT Research on Lies in the Brain

• Study at MIT on brain's reaction to lies.
• Importance of ferrous detectors to prevent metal objects from being drawn into the MRI magnet.

Sponsor: Trainwell

• Platform for personalized training and exercise routines.
• Formerly known as Copilot.
• Encourages exercise accountability through personalized trainers and feedback.

Brain's Reward System

• Brain processes information similarly to how it processes primary rewards (food, water) and secondary rewards (money).
• Brain's reward system evolved to seek both primary and information rewards.

Good and Bad Lies

• Referential example from "Mean Girls":
  • Social lies (compliments, avoiding hurt) vs. malicious lies (manipulation).
• Corporations use lies for marketing.

Dangerous Lies

• Lies to protect one's group or harm an enemy are particularly harmful.
• Historical example: Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq.

How Lies Influence Us

• Human brain construction site analogy:
  • Information as bricks used to construct reality.
  • Inspectors (brain regions) evaluate which bricks (information) to accept.
  • High emotional information bricks influence core identity and fears.

Illusory Truth Effect

• Tendency to believe something after repeated exposure.
• Bricks reinforced without scrutiny upon repetition, even after debunking.
• Evidence shown in brain scans.

Confirmation Bias

• Acceptance of information aligning with pre-existing beliefs without inspection.
  • Dopamine reinforcement for confirming beliefs.
• Example bricks on immigration, abortion, and Zelenskyy used to illustrate confirmation bias.

Brain Evolution and Myths

• Belief in myths facilitated human cooperation and survival.
• Current brain functions evolved to seek safety within social groups, often through cooperation more than empirical truth.

Social Media's Role

• Custom information delivery that reinforces existing beliefs and provides dopamine rewards.
• Shared group beliefs and mutual reinforcement create echo chambers.
• Us vs. them mentality heightened by social media.

Changing Minds

• Yelling at someone and proving them wrong online tends to reinforce their beliefs.
• Effective tactics: Curiosity, empathy, saying "I don't know." Avoids creating defensiveness.

Summary and Hope

• Vigilance in scrutinizing information is crucial.
• Possible to transcend natural impulses for a more factual understanding, requires effort.
• Improved understanding fosters potential unity on shared facts.
• Historical context of lies and fraud, understanding susceptibility to larger frauds vs. smaller lies.