Why people believe things contrary to the facts.

[ginnyinWI]

A psychologist was on NPR today talking about the ways people remember things they hear. He said that often people remember false statements later as being true. This is the reason why:

If you make a statement that something is NOT true, for example, when you say, "Iraq was NOT involved with the attacks on Sept. 11", people's memories tend to drop off the negative and remember it as "Iraq was involved with the attacks on Sept. 11" This is especially true if their bias leans that way anyway. And people don't remember whether the source they got something from is credible or not, or whether they had the fact confirmed from more than one source. They just know that they "know".

So when we talk, we need to say the thing in an entirely different way, and not just insert a "not".
Say, "Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda were the attackers on 9/11, and we invaded a whole different country."

[Donkeykick]

1. I Guess That It Helps Out ...

a lot if you're a Freeper... if you're going to believe Iraq was responsible or not.

[sandnsea]

2. Mommys are supposed to know that

That's like parenting 101, lol. How'd we miss that all these years? Very excellent point, please keep posting it.

And how's that grandbaby, and when are you leaving?

[ginnyinWI]

5. not until Sept. 21st.

He's doing great by the looks of the pictures my son is sending. His mom and dad are catching sleep here and there...my son goes back to work tomorrow.

[sandnsea]

6. Oh he looks great!!

Healthy and so alert! My gosh, he looks 3 months old already! You will have to post lots of pictures when you get home again, because I know you won't put him down long enough to upload a picture while you're out there.

[ginnyinWI]

7. probably so!

:) They tell me he is a calm baby. He does look very thoughtful. :) :)

[jillan]

3. Great point Ginny.

I will remember that.

[durrrty libby]

4. That may be true, but people do have selective hearing.

They hear what they want to hear.