Repetition breeds credibility. Here's why climate organisations should prioritise it

Despite most Brits believing climate change is happening, misinformation can quickly and easily sway support for action.  

A recent study from the Australian National University shows climate denial claims can even influence those engaged with the climate crisis. How? Repetition. 

As the paper explains, “A single repetition is enough to nudge recipients towards acceptance of the repeated claim, even when their attitudes are aligned with climate science, and they can correctly identify the claim as being counter-attitudinal.” 

The more we hear a statement, the more we believe it to be true – even when we know it’s false. This is a cognitive bias known as the ‘illusory truth effect’. But, as the research shows, this works both ways. 

Repetition makes anything more credible – whether true or false.  

Could this actually offer NGOs an opportunity? 

If we want climate action to become mainstream, we need the mainstream to accept it as a credible path to take. And to make that happen, this research shows our strategies need to include a key technique. Repetition.  

Here we have an effective tool to take power away from misinformation and give it to the facts. In this post, we dive into how we can make climate action more credible to most people, including: 

• What is the illusory truth effect? What it means and where we’ve seen it before 
• What does the illusory truth effect mean for NGOs? How it affects climate communication and action 
• What can you do? How to fight it – and make it work for you 

What is the illusory truth effect?  

What it means and where we’ve seen it before. 

Remember the Brexit bus and its £350 million a week for the NHS ‘stat’? A figure so obviously false, no one could stop talking about it. Comedians loved to joke about it. Political commentators wanted to dissect it. And Remainers wanted to debunk it. 

Exactly what the Leave campaign wanted. 

Because when we run into misinformation over and over again, we’re more likely to believe it’s true. And well, we all know what happened next. 

This is the illusory truth effect. 

So why does it work? Humans love a shortcut. As the Australian National University research explains, “Repeated claims are processed more quickly, a classic (and robust) finding in repetition priming.” 

In a similar way to the mere exposure effect, we judge something familiar to be safer and more accurate. This was helpful when we were cavemen and women trying to survive. Less helpful today when making complex decisions. 

What does the illusory truth effect mean for NGOs? 

How it affects climate communication and action 

For many in the climate sector, our instinct is to debunk when we see false climate claims. Unfortunately, this often involves repeating the misinformation we’re trying to discredit, making it more believable. 

Repeating a false claim, even to debunk it, makes it more credible. 

As Dr Gabi Mocatta, a climate science communication researcher at the University of Tasmania, explains, “Climate communications need to focus on repeating what is known and true much more than debunking, myth-busting and repeating what is not true.” 

What can you do? 

How to fight it – and make it work for you 

Remember, repetition gives credibility to the truth too. In fact, we need to repeat a message 10 times for people to remember it. Follow the link to read our article on how to get as many people as possible to see or hear our message as frequently as possible, and why that is the best strategy.  

Dr Gabi Mocatta also explained climate misinformation spread more quickly and widely because “climate sceptic claims tended to be more negative and emotion-arousing.” 

It’s easy to rouse emotions with negativity, but it’s also possible to rouse them with positivity. Hope is a powerful thing.  

At ACT, we’ve found linking desirable behaviours to non-climate things people care about, very effective. Britain Remade linked clean industry to local pride in the West Midlands. Bump into Brum encouraged people to leave their cars behind, by tying in a vibrant community and health. And repeating how many species World Land Trust has saved, across different channels, in different cities, boosted the charity’s brand awareness and donations.  

Bad faith actors know bad news travels fast – even when false. One of the best ways the climate sector can fight misinformation is to stop repeating it. Instead, focus on the facts, make the positive relevant to the majority, and say it loud, proud and often.