The Psychology of Deception: Why We Believe Deepfakes

Authors

Nejc Plohl
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9936-4039
Urška Smrke
University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3516-0429
Letizia Aquilino
DEXAI-Artificial Ethics
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4862-5910
Izidor Mlakar
University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4910-1879
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.feri.2.2026.4

Synopsis

Advances in artificial intelligence have enabled the creation of highly realistic deepfakes, yet their impact ultimately depends on how humans perceive and interpret them. This chapter examines the psychological processes underlying belief in deepfakes, focusing on perceptual mechanisms, individual differences, and downstream consequences. Despite widespread confidence in detection abilities, people generally struggle to distinguish authentic from manipulated videos, often performing at or near chance. To move beyond binary detection measures, we introduce the construct of perceived trustworthiness, defined as the extent to which a video is experienced as authentic. We describe the development and validation of the Perceived Deepfake Trustworthiness Questionnaire (PDTQ), which captures two dimensions: trustworthiness of content (plausibility and source credibility) and trustworthiness of presentation (perceived realism of delivery, including technical quality, voice, and behaviour). This tool enables systematic examination of perceptual features that make deepfakes believable across contexts. We further show how sociodemographic, motivational, and cognitive factors shape susceptibility, and demonstrate that perceived trustworthiness predicts attitudes toward climate change and immigration as well as intentions to share content. Overall, the chapter highlights the need for psychological, not only technological, interventions.

Author Biographies

Nejc Plohl, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Nejc Plohl is an assistant professor at University of Maribor’s Department of Psychology. He obtained his PhD in psychology in 2023. His research focuses mainly on trust in science and technology, and discovering the diverse opportunities and risks of new technology, including its’ role in spreading misinformation.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: nejc.plohl1@um.si 

Urška Smrke, University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Urška Smrke, PhD in Social Sciences Methodology, is a researcher specializing in psychology, social sciences methodology, and statistical analysis. She has strong skills in multidisciplinary collaboration, task coordination, and applied research across health, social, and digital innovation domains. She contributes to multiple EU Horizon projects on AI, mental well-being, childhood obesity, ethical AI governance, democratic engagement, palliative care for dementia, and medical research valorization. She leads FERI UM activities in an ARIS project examining climate anxiety among Slovenian youth, developing digital solutions to reduce it and promote pro-environmental behavior.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: urska.smrke@um.si

Letizia Aquilino, DEXAI-Artificial Ethics

Letizia Aquilino is a PhD candidate in Person and Education Sciences at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and has presented a thesis on trust in artificial agents and social robots. As part of her PhD programme, she works with DEXAI - Artificial Ethics on the EU Horizon project SOLARIS, dealing with the impact of AI generated content on democracy. She is currently a research assistant at IRCCS Eugenio Medea, working with infants at risk of speech disorders.

Rome, Italy. E-mail: letizia.aquilino@dexai.eu

Izidor Mlakar, University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Izidor Mlakar is a research associate at the University of Maribor’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the principal investigator of the HUMADEX research group. His research focuses on human-centric development, AI, embodied conversational agents, and user experience. He leads activities in multiple Horizon and national research projects.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: izidor.mlakar@um.si

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Volume

Deepfakes, Democracy, and the Ethics of Synthetic Media: A Synthesis of the SOLARIS Project

Pages

83-100

Published

February 10, 2026

Categories

Copyright (c) 2026 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Plohl, N., Smrke, U., Aquilino, L., & Mlakar, I. (2026). The Psychology of Deception: Why We Believe Deepfakes. In Y. Yousefi, L. Conover, I. Mlakar, & F. Russo (Eds.), Deepfakes, Democracy, and the Ethics of Synthetic Media: A Synthesis of the SOLARIS Project (pp. 83-100). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.feri.2.2026.4