Franklin Graham Says President Obama was 'Born a Muslim.' As Pew Poll Shows, More Americans Confused About President's Religion. - ABC News
"I think the reality is that false beliefs spread like gossip more than actual information," said Andrew Perrin, an associate professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Perrin's research has shown that a false perception can spread quickly if people's friends and neighbors also have heard or believe a similar idea.
"False beliefs propagate when people think others believe them, and when they have a supportive source that wants them to hold it," Perrin said.
Perrin has found that even direct denials of the false information do not always solve the problem.
"In my own research, when [people] get reliable information that discounts these beliefs, they tend to cling to those beliefs more," Perrin said.
