Why Do People Believe in Things That Aren’t True?

Imagine you have a favorite toy, and your friend says it's been replaced by a new one. You might not believe them at first, maybe even when they show you the new toy! That’s like having a false belief. People often believe things that aren’t true because their brains prefer familiar ideas over new ones, or because they don’t want to change what they think is right. It's kind of like being attached to your favorite toy, even if it isn't there anymore.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. A child believes their friend has a new toy, but the old one is still there.
  2. You think your favorite pizza place will always deliver quickly, until it doesn’t.
  3. Your teacher says you got an A on your test, even though you know that's not true.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity