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Myth or Misconception: What Is the Difference?
Myths are widely repeated false stories, while misconceptions are mistaken understandings that may be sincere.
On this page
- Widely repeated stories
- Sincere mistaken models
- Why labels affect correction
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Introduction
People often use the words “myth” and “misconception” as if they mean the same thing. In everyday language, both describe beliefs that are wrong or unsupported. Yet the distinction matters. A myth is usually a widely repeated story, claim or piece of conventional wisdom that circulates through a culture, community or social network. A misconception is a mistaken understanding held by an individual or group, often arising from incomplete knowledge, oversimplified explanations or faulty mental models. [theChat.scot]thechat.scotthe Chat.scot Spotlight issueMyth: A widely heard but false belief or idea. We can share examples of what might be…Read more…
The difference is not merely semantic. Calling something a myth highlights its social life: it spreads because people repeat it. Calling something a misconception highlights a problem in understanding: people believe it because it seems to explain how something works. Those differences affect how false beliefs develop, why they persist and how they can be corrected. Researchers and communication organisations increasingly stress the importance of distinguishing different kinds of false belief rather than treating every error as the same phenomenon. UNESCO [American Psychological Association]apa.orgMisinformation and disinformationMisinformation is false or inaccurate information—getting the facts wrong. Disinformation is false infor…
Widely Repeated Stories
A myth is often best understood as a shared narrative. In everyday conversation, myths are not limited to ancient legends. They can include common sayings, popular “facts”, health claims, historical stories or cultural assumptions that are repeated so often that many people stop questioning them.
For example, claims such as “people only use 10 per cent of their brains” or “goldfish have a three-second memory” became famous largely because they were memorable and easy to repeat. Their persistence depended less on careful evidence than on cultural circulation. A myth gains strength through repetition, familiarity and social endorsement. The more often people encounter a claim, the more natural and believable it can feel. [Wikipedia]WikipediaList of common misconceptionsCommon misconceptions are widely accepted viewpoints or factoids that are actually false. They often arise f…
Historically, the word “myth” has had multiple meanings. In academic studies of religion and culture, myths can be meaningful traditional stories regardless of whether they are literally true. In everyday language, however, “myth” usually signals a false but widely accepted belief. This popular usage explains why newspapers, educators and fact-checkers often publish “myth versus reality” features. The focus is on challenging a socially shared story rather than correcting one person’s misunderstanding. [theChat.scot]thechat.scotthe Chat.scot Spotlight issueMyth: A widely heard but false belief or idea. We can share examples of what might be…Read more…
A useful test is to ask whether the belief exists mainly because many people have heard and repeated it. If so, it is often functioning as a myth.
Sincere Mistaken Models
A misconception works differently. It is usually a mistaken explanation or mental model rather than a culturally famous story.
People develop misconceptions when they try to make sense of the world using incomplete information, misleading analogies or everyday experience. A child might think that seasons happen because Earth moves closer to and farther from the Sun. An adult might assume that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones. These beliefs are understandable because they seem to fit ordinary observation, even though they are incorrect. The problem is not primarily repetition but interpretation.
In education research, misconceptions are often treated as coherent but flawed ways of understanding a topic. Learners are not simply missing information. They may have built an explanation that appears logical from their perspective. Because the misconception performs explanatory work, replacing it can be difficult. Simply presenting a correct fact does not always change the underlying model. [PubMed]pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPubMedMisinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and…by S Lewandowsky · 2012 · Cited by 4641 — We first examine the mechan…
This is why misconceptions frequently survive formal teaching. Someone may memorise a correct answer for an exam while still relying on an older, intuitive explanation in everyday reasoning. The misconception remains available because it continues to feel meaningful.
Why misconceptions often feel reasonable
Several features make misconceptions especially persistent:
- They fit everyday experience. People trust what they think they observe directly.
- They simplify complexity. A simple explanation can feel more satisfying than a nuanced one.
- They fill gaps in knowledge. Humans prefer having an explanation to having none at all.
- They connect with existing beliefs. New information is often interpreted through older assumptions. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCThe role of discomfort in the continued influence effectPMCby MW Susmann · 2021 · Cited by 90 — Research examining the continued influence effect (CIE) of misinformation has reliably found that…
Unlike myths, misconceptions do not necessarily require widespread social circulation. A person can develop one independently.
Where Myths and Misconceptions Overlap
The categories are distinct, but they often interact.
A myth can generate misconceptions. For example, a widely repeated myth about intelligence, health or history may encourage people to build mistaken understandings around it. Likewise, a misconception held by many individuals can gradually become a myth if it spreads widely enough through schools, media, family conversations or online communities.
The boundary is therefore practical rather than absolute. A myth describes the social status of a false belief. A misconception describes the cognitive structure of a false belief. The same claim can sometimes be both.
Consider a common health claim. If millions of people repeat it despite weak evidence, it functions as a myth. If an individual believes it because they misunderstand how the body works, it is also a misconception. One label emphasises cultural transmission; the other emphasises understanding.
This distinction helps explain why discussions about false beliefs sometimes become confusing. People may be talking about different aspects of the same phenomenon.
Why Labels Affect Correction
The words used to describe a false belief shape how people respond to it.
Calling something a myth often suggests that the problem lies in repetition and cultural acceptance. Corrections therefore focus on public communication, fact-checking and replacing familiar stories with more accurate ones.
Calling something a misconception suggests that the problem lies in understanding. Corrections then focus on explanation, teaching and helping people rebuild their mental models.
Research on misinformation repeatedly finds that corrections work better when they provide an alternative explanation rather than simply declaring a claim false. People rely on explanations to organise their understanding of events. Removing a belief without replacing it can leave a gap that the original claim continues to fill. This phenomenon is known as the continued influence effect. [PubMed]pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPubMedMisinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and…by S Lewandowsky · 2012 · Cited by 4641 — We first examine the mechan… [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCExploring factors that mitigate the continued influencePMCby IP Kan · 2021 · Cited by 27 — The term “continued influence effect” (CIE) refers to the phenomenon that discredited and obsolete in…
For myths, communicators often need to address familiarity and repetition. For misconceptions, they often need to address reasoning and explanation. The difference affects educational strategies, public-health campaigns and science communication.
The risk of treating all errors the same way
When every false belief is treated as a myth, communicators may underestimate the role of sincere misunderstanding. When every false belief is treated as a misconception, they may overlook the power of social repetition and cultural narratives.
Modern discussions of misinformation and disinformation have reinforced this point. Major organisations distinguish between inaccurate information shared by mistake and false information spread deliberately to mislead. Intent matters in those categories. Similarly, understanding whether a belief is primarily a myth or a misconception helps identify the most effective response. UNESCO [American Psychological Association]apa.orgMisinformation and disinformationMisinformation is false or inaccurate information—getting the facts wrong. Disinformation is false infor…
A person repeating a popular myth may need evidence that challenges a familiar story. A person holding a misconception may need a better explanatory model. Treating those situations as identical can make correction less effective.
A Practical Way to Tell the Difference
In everyday language, a simple set of questions can help distinguish the terms:
- Is the belief mainly known because many people repeat it? It is likely functioning as a myth.
- Is the belief mainly a mistaken explanation of how something works? It is likely a misconception.
- Does it involve both a shared cultural story and a flawed understanding? It may be both.
The distinction is not about judging people more harshly or more generously. It is about understanding the source of the error. Myths spread through communities. Misconceptions develop through understanding. Both can be sincere, both can be influential, and both can survive correction. But recognising the difference provides a clearer way to talk about false beliefs and a better foundation for addressing them.
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Endnotes
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Source: thechat.scot
Title: the Chat.scot Spotlight issue
Link: https://thechat.scot/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/7.-myth_misconception_misinformation_disinformation-2024.pdfSource snippet
Myth: A widely heard but false belief or idea. We can share examples of what might be...Read more...
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Source: Wikipedia
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptionsSource snippet
List of common misconceptionsCommon misconceptions are widely accepted viewpoints or factoids that are actually false. They often arise f...
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Source: unesco.org
Link: https://www.unesco.org/en/query-list/m/misinformationSource snippet
UNESCOWhat is Misinformation? Meaning, Definition.Misinformation is false information that is shared inadvertently, without meaning to ca...
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Source: unesco.org
Link: https://www.unesco.org/mil4teachers/en/module4/unit2Source snippet
Unit 2: The Misinformation and Disinformation Ecosystem11 Apr 2024 — Distinguish the different types of false and misleading content, i.e...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCThe role of discomfort in the continued influence effect
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8447889/Source snippet
PMCby MW Susmann · 2021 · Cited by 90 — Research examining the continued influence effect (CIE) of misinformation has reliably found that...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCExploring factors that mitigate the continued influence
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8627545/Source snippet
PMCby IP Kan · 2021 · Cited by 27 — The term “continued influence effect” (CIE) refers to the phenomenon that discredited and obsolete in...
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Source: unesco.org
Link: https://www.unesco.org/mil4teachers/en/module4Source snippet
disinformation, misinformation, and mal-information including conspiracy theories.... UNESCO discourages the term [fake news]({{ 'fake-news/' | relative_url }}), on the basi...
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Source: unesco.org
Title: What is Disinformation?
Link: https://www.unesco.org/en/query-list/d/disinformationSource snippet
Meaning, Definition.Disinformation refers to the deliberate dissemination of false or misleading information, often intended to deceive o...
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Source: disinformation.ch
Link: https://www.disinformation.ch/Source snippet
Deception, disinformation, misinformation, propagandaDisinformation is false or inaccurate information that is deliberately spread with t...
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Source: apa.org
Link: https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformationSource snippet
Misinformation and disinformationMisinformation is false or inaccurate information—getting the facts wrong. Disinformation is false infor...
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Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26173286/Source snippet
PubMedMisinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and...by S Lewandowsky · 2012 · Cited by 4641 — We first examine the mechan...
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Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36988856/Source snippet
impact of misinformation corrections on source...by V Westbrook · 2023 · Cited by 25 — Research on the continued influence effect (CIE)...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanPsychologicalAssociation/posts/although-questions-remain-psychological-science-yields-important-conclusions-abo/944208637740808/Source snippet
American Psychological AssociationMisinformation is false or inaccurate information—getting the facts wrong. Disinformation is [false info]({{ 'false-info/' | relative_url }})...
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Source: etd.ohiolink.edu
Link: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=osu1638809124303347&disposition=inlineSource snippet
ohiolink.edu1 Mechanisms in Continued Influence of Misinformationby VL Westbrook · 2022 · Cited by 1 — Research on the CIE has shown that...
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Source: britannica.com
Title: misinformation and disinformation
Link: https://www.britannica.com/topic/misinformation-and-disinformationSource snippet
Overview, Differences...21 Mar 2026 — Misinformation is the inadvertent spread of false information without intent to harm, while disinf...
Additional References
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Source: princetonlibrary.org
Link: https://princetonlibrary.org/guides/misinformation-disinformation-malinformation-a-guide/Source snippet
Misinformation, Disinformation & Malinformation: A GuideMisinformation, Disinformation & Malinformation: A Guide · Misinformation is defi...
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Source: library.gov.au
Link: https://www.library.gov.au/research/research-guides-0/what-fake-news-misinformation-and-disinformationSource snippet
National Library of AustraliaWhat is fake news, misinformation, and disinformation?The Cambridge Dictionary defines fake news as “false s...
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Source: scispace.com
Link: https://scispace.com/pdf/the-continued-influence-of-misinformation-in-memory-what-4tijzg1jh2.pdfSource snippet
The continued influence of misinformation in memoryIn the next sections, we consider several alternative explanations for the continued i...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/unesco.pakistan/posts/-think-before-you-share%EF%B8%8F-disinformation-disinformation-is-generally-used-to-refe/1030883275851844/Source snippet
UNESCO Pakistan⚠️ Misinformation = Misinformation is generally used to refer to misleading information created or disseminated without ma...
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Source: libguides.solent.ac.uk
Link: https://libguides.solent.ac.uk/fakenews/FakeNewsSource snippet
NewsUNESCO defines three types of false information: Disinformation: Information... Mal-information: Information that is based on realit...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391015007To_be_continued_misinformation%27s_bizarre_adventure_beyond_memory_failures-exploring_non-memory-based_mechanisms_driving_the_continued_influence_effect_CIE](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391015007_To_be_continued_misinformation%27s_bizarre_adventure_beyond_memory_failures-_exploring_non-memory-based_mechanisms_driving_the_continued_influence_effect_CIE)Source snippet
(PDF) To be continued: misinformation's bizarre adventure...18 Nov 2025 — The Continued Influence Effect (CIE) refers to the persistent...
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Source: brod.ntcenter.bg
Link: https://brod.ntcenter.bg/en/continued-influence-effect/Source snippet
Influence EffectThe "Continued Influence Effect" refers to the phenomenon where misinformation continues to affect people's thinking and...
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Source: moadoph.gov.au
Link: https://moadoph.gov.au/explore/democracy/what-is-the-difference-between-misinformation-and-disinformationSource snippet
False and misleading information created or shared to deliberately mislead people. Malinformation. Information based in fact that is mani...
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Source: mentalhealthacademy.com.au
Title: countering misinformation what can mental health professionals do
Link: https://www.mentalhealthacademy.com.au/blog/countering-misinformation-what-can-mental-health-professionals-doSource snippet
Countering Misinformation5 Apr 2024 — This article explores how mental health professionals can dispel misinformation and disinformation...
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Source: apa.org
Link: https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/health-misinformationSource snippet
ined; it can include inaccurate news, conspiracy theories, disinformation campaigns...Read more...
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