propaganda technique

Repetition

Also called: Ad nauseam, Illusory truth effect

Repetition makes a claim persuasive by stating it again and again, regardless of evidence.

How it works

People judge familiar statements as more likely to be true, an effect known as the illusory truth effect. Repeating a slogan or claim builds that familiarity even when it has been refuted.

Examples

The same three-word slogan opens every speech and every advert in a campaign.

Familiarity, not argument, makes it feel true.

A debunked statistic keeps appearing in posts long after a correction.

Each repetition reinforces it for people who never saw the correction.

How to spot it

The same claim, often word for word, across many messages.
Little new evidence each time.
The claim feels true mainly because it is familiar.

How to respond

Ask where the claim came from originally and whether it was checked.
Repeat accurate information clearly and often.
Be wary of claims you have heard many times but never seen supported.