Bullshit is defined as information designed to impress, persuade, or otherwise mislead people that is often constructed without concern for the truth. At its core, it reflects a fundamental aspect of human communication: the desire to influence others and shape a perception.
From psychology point of view, social norms and cultural values can very much influence one’s propensity to engage in bullshitting. In environments where success and status are highly valued, individuals may choose bullshitting to fit to the group. Also people with fragile self-esteem or those who are overly concerned with their image may resort to “bullshitting” as a way to maintain or enhance their social standing. This behavior can be a defense mechanism to protect one’s self-image or to project an idealized version of oneself to others. This creates a discrepancy between one’s beliefs and actions, which is called cognitive dissonance. To reduce the feeling of discomfort the cognitive dissonance creates, individuals may engage in dishonest behavior, I mean bullshitting, rationalizing it in a way that aligns with their self-perception or goals.
Neuroscience takes the above psychological reasoning and analyzes it directly on the brain. The human brain’s reward system, particularly the activation of areas like the ventral striatum, plays a crucial role in motivating behavior, including dishonesty. When people successfully deceive or impress others, they often experience a sense of reward or pleasure. This positive reinforcement can encourage further dishonest behavior. Moreover, when people bullshit, the prefrontal cortex works hard to craft and deliver information that is intended to mislead or impress, balancing the potential rewards against the risks of being caught.
Constructing misleading information that is not in pattern with the reality is cognitively demanding. It requires keeping track of the truth, the lie, and the perception of the listener. This increased cognitive load can lead to more activity in brain regions associated with working memory and executive functions, highlighting the mental effort involved in “bullshitting.”
Because the brain is working hard to create bullshit and persuade the others that it is the truth, it may fall into its own trap. So, you can bullshit a bullshitter.
“We found that the more frequently someone engages in persuasive bullshitting, the more likely they are to be duped by various types of misleading information regardless of their cognitive ability, engagement in reflective thinking, or metacognitive skills,” - Shane Littrell