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The dark side of cognitive illusions: When an illusory belief interferes with the acquisition of evidence‐based knowledge
Author(s) -
Yarritu Ion,
Matute Helena,
Luque David
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1111/bjop.12119
Subject(s) - illusion , psychology , illusion of control , cognition , cognitive psychology , placebo , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Cognitive illusions are often associated with mental health and well‐being. However, they are not without risk. This research shows they can interfere with the acquisition of evidence‐based knowledge. During the first phase of the experiment, one group of participants was induced to develop a strong illusion that a placebo medicine was effective to treat a fictitious disease, whereas another group was induced to develop a weak illusion. Then, in P hase 2, both groups observed fictitious patients who always took the bogus treatment simultaneously with a second treatment which was effective. Our results showed that the group who developed the strong illusion about the effectiveness of the bogus treatment during P hase 1 had more difficulties in learning during P hase 2 that the added treatment was effective.