From Andrew Tate to Elon Musk: The Impact of Knowledge Bias on Popularity

As a general rule, when communicators are seen as challenging the knowledge bias, they gain credibility.

Knowledge bias is a psychological tool that many communication professionals use, though few people talk about it.

Although you may not have heard of knowledge bias before, it’s a powerful psychological tool communicators use to persuade and gain credibility. The knowledge bias is so powerful it consistently influences people. Stay tuned because I’ll explain how it works, so without further ado, let’s dive in!

How It Works

The knowledge bias suggests when communicators are seen as defying typical expectations of what they should know, they can actually enhance their credibility.

In other words, if a communicator goes against the norms, he is more likely to be seen as credible. Think about it: humans enjoy rebellion and challenging authority. This tendency is part of the human nature.

Humans love to support those who challenge the system, this is why figures like Andrew Tate, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk are so popular. They each challenge particular norms.

For example, Andrew Tate advocates for a concept of masculinity that some view as toxic. Trump argues the government doesn’t always act in the people’s interest (even though he is now part of the government) Elon Musk opposes censorship, believing everyone should be able to speak freely without repercussions.

Whether you agree with them, or not, one thing is clear: they all have huge followings and fans. This illustrates the power of knowledge bias.

The Psychological Power of Challenge

knowledge bias is a remarkable psychological tool that, if used effectively, can elevate you to heights you never expected. It taps into the human desire to challenge authority, which persists from childhood into adulthood.

For instance, many people refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, despite evidence that it could save lives. Those who spoke against it, like Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate, gained significant popularity, even though research showed the vaccine prevented many deaths.

Marketing and Knowledge Bias

Marketers and advertisers also leverage knowledge bias to persuade consumers to buy their products. For example, some ads claim drinking water is bad for your health, or that eating five times a day will help you stay fit.

While these claims often make little sense, the strength of knowledge bias leads people to accept them as true without question. Influencers and content creators use this bias to influence audiences and generate millions if not billions of dollars.

Online gurus for instance. Many of them use knowledge bias to build credibility. When they try to sell something online, they often start by saying they are not gurus. By doing this, they aim to influence your thoughts and make you less skeptical, encouraging you to buy their course or product.

In today’s world, it can be hard to identify an actual online guru since many claim they are not. However, if they are teaching you something they have mastered, they are essentially positioning themselves as experts which technically makes them gurus.

I want you to understand knowledge bias is a powerful psychological tool anyone could use, including you, to achieve their goals. Next time you try to influence someone, think about how you can apply knowledge bias to your Persuading message.