What Makes People So Gullible?

Jen Kim
Sept. 30, 2019

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Why some people are more vulnerable to scams may be connected to their personal histories. According to a 2006 University of Leicester study, those who suffered more tragedy and hardship while they were growing up are more likely to be gullible later in life. For example, they may succumb to peer pressure more, be more easily misled by others or more influenced by the media.

Adverse experiences include major illnesses or injuries, parental divorce or death of loved ones, difficulties at work, bullying at school or being a crime victim.

These findings are in stark contrast to the stereotype that adversity “toughens” you up—in fact, researchers say “the majority become less trusting of their own judgment.”

This is because people who constantly face difficulty start to associate these negative consequences with their own actions.

Imagine a series of terrible things happen to you—at some point, you’re going to start to believe that the common denominator in all of these experiences is you. It’s no surprise that you start feeling like it’s your fault. Or that you are probably craving ways to feel validated or good about yourself.

So when you get that DM that starts out by saying that you look like someone who would be great for this new, exciting opportunity or your astrologer promises you that next month’s new moon will unlock a financial windfall for you or you see a Facebook image that claims that all of your problems are actually the fault of the rival political party—wouldn’t you want to pay attention, wouldn’t you want it all to be true?

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060523072353.htm

Life's Harsh Lessons 'Make You More Gullible'

Date: May 23, 2006
Source: University of Leicester
Summary:
People who have suffered life's hard knocks while growing up tend to be more gullible than those who have been more sheltered, startling new findings from the University of Leicester reveal.

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70% of the variation across people in suggestibility can be explained by the different levels of negative life events that they have experienced, the study found.

"We also found that the way people cope with adversity had an impact on their psychological profile," said Kim.

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In contrast, the findings also suggest that early positive life events may have a protective influence over the effects of subsequent adversity: "If positive life events predate the negative life events then individuals may be more resilient in terms of, not being so badly affected, psychologically, by the subsequent adverse events. However, issues may arise if the reverse is the case; if the adverse life events precede the positive, those individuals may become, as a result, more susceptible to suggestion and misleading information.

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The study found that the parental role is an important one, so education- showing parents functional ways of dealing with their children, meaning that the children will see positive role models, and learn "healthy" skills or ways of dealing with stress/negative life events- may help cultivate a positive mind-set within the child or adolescent which will stay with them throughout life.

Kim said: "Parents are role-models for their children, and show the children how to cope with stress- if the parents are matter-of-fact about negative occurrences and are "happy-go-lucky" then the kids may emulate that. On the reverse, parents who cope with stress/negative events in a more stressed manner (raging, acting out, drinking, expressing a pessimistic view of the world) this may in turn transfer that way of behaving onto their children."

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