Espresso Knowledge #88 - Yes, you can bullshit a bullshitter.

Frequent bullshitters often can't identify it themselves.

The new research also shows that frequent BSers are much more likely to fall for fake news. The work will help understand how misinformation spreads and ways to combat it.

Researchers defined bullshit as information designed to impress, persuade, or otherwise mislead people that is often constructed without concern for truth. Persuasive bullshitters mislead, exaggerate and embellish to impress, persuade, or fit in with others. Evasive bullshitters give irrelevant, evasive responses in times when being frank may hurt feelings or harm reputations.

Study participants self-reported how often they BSed and how they rated the accuracy of fake news headlines. They also completed behaviour and cognitive tests. No matter their behavioural or cognitive skills, persuasive bullshitters often mistook superficiality for depth.  If something sounded profound, truthful or accurate, to them, that means it really was. Evasive bullshitters were better at making this distinction.

Original article:

Research shows that people who BS are more likely to fall for BS

Original study:

‘You can’t bullshit a bullshitter’ (or can you?): Bullshitting frequency predicts receptivity to various types of misleading information