responding to misinformationresponding to...
TRANSCRIPT
Responding to MisinformationResponding to MisinformationJohn Cook
3rd IEAGHG Social Research Network MeetingDate: 13 April 2012
http://sks.to/iphone
http://sks.to/iphone
http://sks.to/iphone
http://sks.to/iphone
One Model of the Human Brain
A More Accurate Model A More Accurate Model of the Human Brainof the Human Brain
Familiarity Backfire Effect
D b ki thDebunking a myth can reinforce the
th i l ’myth in people’s minds(Schwarz et al 2007)(Schwarz et al 2007)
Familiarity Backfire Effect
Familiarity Backfire Effect
Danger, Will Robinson!Will Robinson!Approaching
myth!myth!
Another psychological pitfall
Create a Gap
MYTH
Removinga myth leavesa gap
Fill the Gap
FACT
Replacewith alternativenarrative
Elements to an Effective Debunking
Create a gap Fill the gap with Create a gap with the facts
g pan alternative explanationp
“Fight sticky ideas with stickier ideas ”stickier ideas.”
Characteristics of Sticky Ideas
• Simple• UnexpectedUnexpected• Concrete• Credible• Emotional• Stories
The Curiosity Gap
Generate curiosity by opening gaps in p g g ptheir knowledge then filling gthose gaps
Debunking Method
Create a gap Fill the gap with l i
g pwith the facts an alternative
explanation
Debunking Method
Create a gap Fill the gap with l i
g pwith the facts an alternative
explanation
Generating Curiosity
Create a gap Fill the gap
g y
to generate curiosity
with answers to questions
Case Studies of Debunking to Educate
• “Agnotology as a Teaching Tool: Learning Climate Science by Studying Misinformation”(Bedford 2010)
Case Studies of Debunking to Educate
• “Agnotology as a Teaching Tool: Learning Climate Science by Studying Misinformation”(Bedford 2010)
• “The Effect of Refuting Misconceptions in the Introductory Psychology Class”the Introductory Psychology Class(Kowalski & Taylor 2009)
100(%
)
75
test
sco
re (
50
rove
men
t in 50
Refutation
Imp
25 StandardFormat
Kowalski & Taylor 20090
Example of a Debunking
“ the earth quit…the earth quit warming and now we may be in a cooling
cycle ”cycle.DANA
ROHRABACHERR
http://sks.to/debunk http://sks.to/guidep p g
John CookGlobal Change Institute, University of Queensland
Web: http://www skepticalscience comWeb: http://www.skepticalscience.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 7 3365 3553Phone: 61 7 3365 3553