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BBC article on the difficulty of debunking myths and Misinformation
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141113-the-best-way-to-debunk-myths
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141113-the-best-way-to-debunk-myths
DennisN said:This is something which interests me too.
Two more links on the topic:
- backfire effect (Skeptic's Dictionary)
- "How facts backfire" (article, 4 pages, The Boston Globe, July 11 2010)
I liked this quote, from your second link:DennisN said:This is something which interests me too.
Two more links on the topic:
- backfire effect (Skeptic's Dictionary)
- "How facts backfire" (article, 4 pages, The Boston Globe, July 11 2010)
Thanks WWGD, that's a great idea!WWGD said:And most people think of themselves as being open-minded skeptics, and anyone
who disagrees with them is closed-minded and irrational.
I suggested a while back, if possible, if together with its tutorial in argument and fallacies PF could include a list of biases like fundamental attribution error, confirmation bias, etc., because correct reasoning together with false premises is a nasty combo. Maybe it is too much work to make up such list.
EDIT: Here is my small contribution to a list of biases:
https://www.google.com/#q=list of cognitive biases
Could be interesting to train high school kids to avoid these biases. But then the teachers
will not stand the kids.
Critical thinking is supposed to be part of an education.Greg Bernhardt said:Important discussion! Shows how important critical thinking is these days. I really feel it's a lost art. Too many people are duped by viral sham stories on Facebook. It's a real problem.
zoobyshoe said:I liked this quote, from your second link:
"In an ideal world, citizens would be able to maintain constant vigilance, monitoring both the information they receive and the way their brains are processing it. But keeping atop the news takes time and effort. And relentless self-questioning, as centuries of philosophers have shown, can be exhausting. Our brains are designed to create cognitive shortcuts — inference, intuition, and so forth — to avoid precisely that sort of discomfort while coping with the rush of information we receive on a daily basis. Without those shortcuts, few things would ever get done. Unfortunately, with them, we’re easily suckered by political falsehoods."
It really is just too exhausting to check everything thoroughly, and you have to fall back on 'shortcuts'. Some people on the other end of the spectrum opt to check nothing and focus instead on just being in touch with what 'everyone is saying,' which is sometimes, weirdly, more important than the truth.
Astronuc said:Critical thinkers (or skeptics or informed public) are less susceptible to propaganda and manipulation. On a personal level, one needs to be aware of one's ideology or ontology.
The purpose of studying the psychology of debunking myths is to understand why and how people believe in false information, and how to effectively correct those misconceptions. By understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms behind belief in myths, we can develop strategies to effectively debunk them and promote accurate information.
People can initially come to believe in myths through a variety of factors, such as social influence, personal experiences, and cognitive biases. For example, if a person hears a myth repeatedly from trusted sources, they may start to believe it without questioning its validity. Additionally, our own experiences and biases can lead us to interpret information in a way that supports our existing beliefs, even if they are not based in fact.
There are several psychological barriers that can make it difficult to debunk myths, such as confirmation bias, the backfire effect, and the illusory truth effect. Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that confirms our beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them. The backfire effect occurs when attempts to correct misinformation actually strengthen a person's belief in that misinformation. The illusory truth effect refers to the tendency to believe information simply because we have heard it before, regardless of its accuracy.
There are several strategies that can be effective in debunking myths, such as using clear and simple language, appealing to emotions and personal experiences, providing alternative explanations and evidence, and avoiding repeating the myth. It's also important to consider the source of the myth and tailor the debunking approach accordingly. For example, if the myth originated from a trusted source, it may be more effective to provide a gentle correction rather than attacking the source.
Yes, debunking myths can be effective in changing people's beliefs. However, it is not always a straightforward process and may require multiple attempts and different strategies. It's important to approach debunking with empathy and understanding, rather than aggression or condescension. Additionally, it's important to recognize that some beliefs may be deeply ingrained and may not change even with clear evidence against them. In these cases, it's important to focus on promoting accurate information and promoting critical thinking skills rather than trying to change individual beliefs.