#50 - Why Your Brain Loves Bad Advice | Processing Fluency

The reason misinformation, and disinformation (false information spread deliberately to deceive), travels so easily may be hiding in plain sight. It hides in simplicity. And it's amplified by the very algorithms that reward content that is easy to consume, easy to remember, and easy to share. Yet despite how profoundly this shapes the way we think, most of us have never been taught the psychology behind it. Processing fluency is one of the most powerful cognitive phenomena you've probably never heard of, and given the speed at which information now spreads online, it's remarkable that it isn't common knowledge. If you've ever wondered why misinformation spreads so easily, why simple answers are so seductive, or why the loudest voices often sound the most convincing, this episode is for you. Because sometimes, the greatest trick our brain plays on us isn't believing a lie. It's confusing easy to process with true. This episode sits very close to my heart because I think most of us have an aunt, mum, uncle, friend, or someone we love who has been influenced by misinformation. Someone who has spent their hard-earned money, changed their health behaviours, or lived with unnecessary fear because something simply sounded convincing. The truth is, none of us are immune to it. Understanding how our brains work isn't about becoming cynical. It's about becoming better equipped to recognise when we're mistaking something that feels easy to understand for something that's actually true.