Looking for a word for something like “blind acceptance”

Question

I am looking for a word for (the act of) someone accepting information as fact without ever checking.

For example, I read an article in newspaper and believe it without fact checking. I tell my daughter about the article and my belief, she in turn tells her son and he believes too. Now 3 people believe and none have checked.

Answer 1

"the act of" in your question means you are looking for a noun. "gullibility" is one-word and seems to fit.

gullible (adj) - quick to believe something that is not true TFD

gullibility - (noun) - "Investors' gullibility has been responsible for signifant losses."

"credulity" also fits. (noun - readiness or willingness to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence - Merriam-Webster)

Answer 2

All three of you could be said to have accepted the article at face value:

The superficial appearance or implication of something:

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

she felt the lie was unconvincing, but he seemed to take it at face value.

The images become politically charged; take on meaning beyond their face value.

I take people at face value, weigh them by their worth, and where they come from doesn't matter to me.

His comments would be less likely to be taken at face value if your readers were made aware of this important fact.

You could also be said to have accepted it in an uncritical manner:

ADJECTIVE

1 Not expressing criticism or using one’s critical faculties:

the technique had received uncritical acclaim in the media

1.1 Not in accordance with the principles of critical analysis:

uncritical reasoning

(All definitions and examples from Oxforddictionaries.com)

Answer 3

You could say that they took the information in good faith, which means:

in accordance with standards of honesty, trust, sincerity, etc. (Dictionary.com)

If you read the article with the assumption that it is honest, trustworthy, and sincere, then you would believe it without feeling the need to check facts. Likewise, if you passed the information on to other people and they took what you said in good faith, they would assume that the information was trustworthy without double-checking it.

Answer 4

I think your reason for not fact-checking will always be implied in what word you choose to describe this situation. The following could all meet the basic requirement, but consider how they reflect on the person who did not fact check.

1. Gullible
2. Non-skeptical
3. Uncritical
4. Naive
5. Pliable
6. Unquestioning

Answer 5

Word meaning blind acceptance: Faith

See, for example: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/faith. It says (among other things):

• Confident or unquestioning belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

• Strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence

• belief that is not based on proof.

[emphasis added.]

Answer 6

At face value.

One who accepts a book by its cover, but doesn't judge it until finale.

Answer 7

I think when you are accepting the information (without corroboration) given based on your perceived view of a person or entity (newspaper) then the phrase I would use is that you are drinking the kool-aid.

Example:

Jim: "Did you hear that our new product is going to generate at least three times more sales? I bet we all get raises.

John: "Jim, the product isn't even launched yet. Quit drinking the kool-aid."