Facebook has become a go-to source for news, but does relying on it say something about a person’s personality?
Psychologists think so. Research suggests that people who primarily get their news from Facebook tend to share certain traits—some surprising, some not so much.
From trust levels to critical thinking habits, the way we consume news can reveal more about us than we realize. Here are 10 personality traits often found in those who turn to Facebook as their main news source.
1) They trust familiar sources over verified ones
When it comes to news, trust plays a huge role in what people choose to believe. And for those who rely on Facebook as their primary source, familiarity often outweighs credibility.
Instead of seeking out verified news outlets, they tend to trust what appears in their feed—especially if it comes from friends, family, or pages they already follow.
This aligns with what psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls the “availability heuristic”—the tendency to believe information that is easily accessible over information that is more accurate.
“If people have heard something often enough, they will believe it, no matter how false it may be,” Kahneman explains in Thinking, Fast and Slow.
This creates an echo chamber effect, where people reinforce their own beliefs rather than challenging them with new perspectives. Over time, this can shape not just how they consume news but also how they see the world.
2) They are drawn to emotionally charged content
I remember a time when a shocking news story popped up on my Facebook feed. The headline was dramatic, the image was intense, and before I even clicked on it, I felt a strong reaction.
It turned out the article was misleading, but for a few moments, it had my full attention.
This isn’t just me—it’s human nature. Psychologists have found that people are more likely to engage with news that triggers strong emotions, whether it’s outrage, fear, or excitement.
As psychologist Paul Ekman explains, “Emotions determine what we notice, what we remember, and how we make decisions.”
For those who rely on Facebook for news, this means they’re often consuming stories designed to provoke rather than inform. Sensational headlines and emotionally charged posts spread quickly, shaping their view of the world in ways they might not even realize.
3) They struggle with information overload
Let’s be real—Facebook is a nonstop flood of news, opinions, memes, and clickbait. Scrolling through it can feel like drinking from a firehose. And for people who rely on it as their main news source, that constant stream of information can be overwhelming.
The problem? When the brain is overloaded, it takes shortcuts. Instead of carefully analyzing each piece of news, people start skimming headlines, trusting familiar sources, and reacting emotionally rather than thinking critically.
Psychologist Herbert Simon put it best: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”
This means important details get missed, misinformation spreads more easily, and people end up feeling informed when they’ve really just absorbed whatever caught their eye first. It’s not always their fault—it’s just how the mind copes when there’s too much to process.
4) They prefer simplicity over complexity
I get it—life is exhausting, and sometimes you just want the news to be easy to digest. No deep dives, no complicated analysis, just a quick post that tells you what’s happening.
But here’s the issue: the world is rarely that simple. Facebook tends to reward bite-sized, black-and-white takes on complex issues, and people who rely on it for news often gravitate toward oversimplified explanations.
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman explains this in Thinking, Fast and Slow, saying, “A reliable way to make people believe in falsehoods is frequent repetition, because familiarity is not easily distinguished from truth.”
When people stick to simplified narratives, they risk missing the bigger picture. The truth is often messy and layered—but on Facebook, the easiest version of a story is usually the one that spreads the fastest.
5) They believe they’re thinking critically
It sounds ironic, but many people who rely on Facebook for news actually believe they’re being smart about it. They see themselves as independent thinkers, questioning the mainstream media and digging into stories that “they” don’t want you to see.
The problem? True critical thinking isn’t just about questioning—it’s about questioning everything, including the sources you trust. As Carl Sagan once said, “It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”
Facebook creates an illusion of control. People feel like they’re uncovering hidden truths when, in reality, they’re often just reinforcing their own biases. Real critical thinking means stepping outside of that bubble—even when it’s uncomfortable.
6) They are more influenced by repetition than accuracy
If you see the same claim over and over again on your Facebook feed, it starts to feel true—even if it’s completely false. That’s just how the brain works.
Psychologist Robert Zajonc called this the mere exposure effect—the idea that the more we’re exposed to something, the more we tend to believe or trust it. “The more frequently we encounter something, the more positively we evaluate it,” he explained.
For those who get their news primarily from Facebook, this means they’re often influenced less by facts and more by how many times they’ve seen a post.
A piece of misinformation shared repeatedly can feel just as credible as a well-researched news report—sometimes even more so.
7) They underestimate their own biases
I used to think I was pretty open-minded when it came to news. I believed I was looking at things fairly, considering different perspectives.
But then I caught myself scrolling past articles that didn’t align with my views, while eagerly clicking on the ones that did.
This is what psychologist Jonathan Haidt refers to as the confirmation bias—our natural tendency to seek out information that supports what we already believe while ignoring or dismissing anything that challenges it.
“When people find evidence that confirms their beliefs, they accept it uncritically,” Haidt explains in The Righteous Mind.
People who rely on Facebook for news often assume they’re seeing a balanced picture when, in reality, the algorithm is feeding them more of what they already agree with. And the more they see it, the more convinced they become that they’re right.
8) They confuse engagement with truth
Let’s be honest—on Facebook, the most viral stories aren’t always the most accurate. They’re the most outrageous, the most emotional, the most shareable. And for people who rely on Facebook as their main news source, high engagement can start to feel like a stamp of credibility.
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman warns about this in Thinking, Fast and Slow: “A reliable way to make people believe in falsehoods is frequent repetition, because familiarity is not easily distinguished from truth.”
In other words, just because a post has thousands of shares doesn’t mean it’s factual—it just means a lot of people reacted to it.
But that’s how misinformation spreads. The loudest voices dominate, and after seeing the same claims enough times, people start to believe them—not because they’ve fact-checked them, but because they’ve seen them everywhere.
9) They feel more informed than they actually are
It seems logical—if you’re constantly seeing news updates on your Facebook feed, you should be well-informed, right? But in reality, many people who rely on Facebook for news feel more knowledgeable than they actually are.
Psychologist David Dunning, known for the Dunning-Kruger effect, explains why: “The trouble with ignorance is that it feels just like expertise.”
When people consume a steady stream of headlines and viral posts, they develop a false sense of confidence in what they know—even if that information is incomplete or misleading.
This illusion of knowledge can be dangerous. Instead of seeking out deeper analysis or questioning sources, people assume they already have the full picture.
But in reality, they may only be scratching the surface—or worse, absorbing misinformation without realizing it.
10) They are more influenced by emotion than logic
I’ve caught myself doing it—seeing a post that makes me angry or sad and instantly believing it without questioning the details. When a story hits an emotional nerve, it’s easy to react first and think later.
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman explains this in Thinking, Fast and Slow: “People let their beliefs be guided by emotions more than by reason.”
Facebook’s algorithm thrives on this, promoting content that sparks strong emotional reactions because it keeps people engaged.
For those who rely on Facebook for news, this means they’re often absorbing information based on how it makes them feel rather than whether it’s actually true. And when emotions take over, critical thinking takes a back seat.
