How the way we consume information shapes both our thinking and our wellbeing
This article was prompted by recent media exploring disinformation, big tech, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping what we see, believe, and accept as true.
Critical thinking and mental health are closely linked, particularly in a digital environment where information is constant, curated, and often unexamined.
This raises a broader question:
What is happening to our ability to think critically in a world where information is increasingly personalised?
More subtly, it raises another:
Is this changing not only what we think, but how we think?
These are not new concerns, but they are receiving increased attention and raise important questions about how we engage with information.
The environments shaping our thinking
Much of the information we now consume arrives through algorithm-driven platforms.
These systems are not designed to prioritise accuracy, nuance, or evidence. They are designed to hold attention.
If you engage with content about anxiety, you are likely to see more of it.
If you follow performance or health-related content, similar material will continue to appear.
If something captures your attention, it will be repeated.
Over time, this can narrow perspective. It can create the impression that certain ideas are widely accepted or unquestionably true, when in reality they are simply highly reinforced.
This is where critical thinking becomes essential.
It allows you to pause and ask:
- Is this accurate?
- What is the evidence for this claim?
- Who is presenting this information, and why?
- Is this nuanced, or overly simplified?
Without this process, it becomes easier to absorb information uncritically, particularly when it aligns with existing concerns or experiences.
Misinformation and disinformation are not the same
It is easy to use the terms misinformation and disinformation interchangeably. They are related, but importantly different.
- Misinformation refers to false, misleading, or inaccurate information that is shared without the intention to cause harm.
- Disinformation refers to false information that is deliberately created or spread to mislead, influence, or manipulate.
This distinction matters.
If someone shares incorrect mental health advice believing it to be helpful, that is misinformation.
If information is intentionally shaped to attract attention or influence belief despite being false, that is disinformation.
Both can affect how people understand themselves and the world around them.
For a clear overview, see:
https://www.acma.gov.au/online-disinformation-and-misinformation
How do you know if something is misleading?
Even with this distinction, the practical question remains:
How do you actually tell if something is false or misleading?
Critical thinking becomes a skill that needs to be actively applied.
Some useful checks include:
- looking at the source and its credibility
- distinguishing between opinion and evidence
- checking whether claims are supported elsewhere
- noticing if content is designed to provoke a strong emotional reaction
- reading beyond headlines or short-form summaries
A practical guide focused on mental health information can be found here:
https://au.reachout.com/challenges-and-coping/the-big-issues/navigating-mental-health-misinformation-online
Deep reading and the capacity to think
One idea proposed as a counterbalance to fast, fragmented information is deep reading, described by cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf.
Deep reading involves slowing down and engaging with material in a more reflective way. It supports:
- critical analysis
- perspective taking
- interpretation
- independent thought
It is different from skimming or consuming short-form content.
Deep reading builds the capacity to evaluate information rather than simply absorb it.
Further discussion of Maryanne Wolf’s work on deep reading and its relationship to empathy and critical thinking can be found here: https://seis.ucla.edu/news/maryanne-wolf-deep-reading-a-tool-for-attaining-empathy-critical-thinking-skills/
Where AI fits into this landscape
Alongside social media, artificial intelligence is becoming another way that information and language are generated and consumed, and is increasingly part of broader public discussion about how information is created, interpreted, and understood.
Tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can produce structured, fluent responses quickly. That can be useful. But it also introduces a similar risk.
AI does not hold values, context, or responsibility. It generates responses based on patterns, not judgment.
This means:
- it can sound confident without being accurate
- it may lack nuance or context
- it cannot take responsibility for how information is used
There is also a cognitive effect to consider.
When ideas, summaries, or written responses are generated quickly, the opportunity to engage in the thinking process can be reduced. The effort involved in organising, questioning, and refining ideas is part of how critical thinking develops.
If that process is bypassed entirely, the capacity to think critically may be less exercised over time.
This does not mean these tools should not be used.
But it does mean they require the same approach as any other source of information:
- to be questioned
- to be evaluated
- and to be considered within context
From social media to self-talk
The patterns we see externally can also appear internally.
Just as we are exposed to repeated messages online, we are also exposed to repeated messages in our own minds.
Many people experience an internal voice that is critical, absolute, and persuasive:
- “I’m not good enough.”
- “I always get this wrong.”
- “I can’t cope.”
- “There’s something wrong with me.”
These thoughts can feel convincing, particularly when they are familiar or emotionally charged.
But repetition is not the same as truth.
The psychology of how we come to believe things
Human thinking is shaped by patterns that help us process information quickly, but not always accurately.
- Confirmation bias draws attention to information that aligns with existing beliefs
- Availability bias increases the perceived importance of repeated or emotionally striking information
- Emotional reasoning can lead feelings to be treated as evidence
These processes operate both externally and internally.
Over time, they can strengthen particular beliefs, including self-critical ones.
When thoughts feel like facts
Self-critical thoughts often present as conclusions:
- “I’m not capable.”
- “I always fail.”
- “I’m not enough.”
From a psychological perspective, this reflects learning and reinforcement, not necessarily accuracy.
Thoughts that are repeated and emotionally reinforced become more accessible and convincing.
Cognitive fusion and the inner critic
In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this is described as cognitive fusion.
When we are fused with a thought, it is experienced as reality rather than as a mental event.
Critical thinking, in this context, is about creating space.
For example:
- “I’m having the thought that I’m not good enough”
This allows for perspective rather than automatic acceptance.
Schemas and persuasive inner narratives
Over time, repeated thinking patterns can form broader frameworks or schemas.
These influence:
- attention
- interpretation
- self-evaluation
They can make certain thoughts feel more convincing, even when they are incomplete or biased.
Why critical thinking supports mental health
Critical thinking and mental health are closely connected, particularly when this skill is applied internally.
It allows for:
- recognising patterns
- examining evidence
- holding thoughts more lightly
- responding with intention
This is closely aligned with psychological flexibility.
The aim is not to eliminate difficult thoughts.
It is to change the relationship to them.
This is where critical thinking and mental health intersect in a meaningful way.
A more considered way forward
We are unlikely to step away from digital platforms or emerging technologies.
But there is value in recognising what they are designed to do.
They are designed to capture attention.
They are not designed to teach critical thinking.
That remains a human capacity.
Sometimes it begins with questioning the information we are given.
And sometimes it begins with questioning the voice in our own mind.
If this resonates...
If you notice that self-critical thinking is difficult to step back from, or that the volume of information feels overwhelming, psychological support can help.
Therapy provides space to slow things down, examine patterns more carefully, and develop a more balanced and flexible way of relating to both internal and external information.
Published April 2026
