The distinctive characteristics of bullshit: intention, meaningfulness, and source reliability

Pseudo-profound bullshit refers to statements designed to impress but lacking in meaning. Due to the discrepancy between philosophical and psychological perspectives on bullshit, there is limited empirical evidence supporting its defining characteristics. This study aimed to test whether these characteristics are indeed distinctive to bullshit and influence the tendency to perceive it as profound. Additionally, recognising that context shapes bullshit receptivity, the second aim was to investigate whether bullshit features influence changes in receptivity when the reliability of an added source varies. Results indicate that participants can identify both meaninglessness and intention to impress in different types of statements. Furthermore, the intention to impress elicits greater changes in profundity evaluations than the meaningfulness of the statement. Finally, both reliable and unreliable sources affect profundity ratings, with these effects observed across all statement categories.