Why people believe in conspiracy theories – and how to change their minds
Rational arguments and myth busting often won't help you change the mind of a conspiracy theorist. But there are other ways.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Confirmation bias
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Facts versus feelings isn’t the way to think about communicating science
Reports of facts' death have been greatly exaggerated. Effective communication jettisons the false dilemma in favor of a more holistic view of how people take in new information on contentious topics.
Take that chocolate milk survey with a grain of salt
Millions of Americans believe brown cows produce chocolate milk? The way the media reported this factoid raises questions about science literacy – but different ones than you may think.
Why each side of the partisan divide thinks the other is living in an alternate reality
If someone sees or hears something they don't want to believe...they probably won't believe it.
To win a Scottish indyref2, Yes side must learn lessons of Brexit victory
With a second Scottish referendum 'all but inevitable', here's a strange pill for the nationalists to swallow.
Getting a scientific message across means taking human nature into account
Quirks of human psychology can pose problems for science communicators trying to cover controversial topics. Recognizing what cognitive science knows about how we deal with new information could help.
How to check if you’re in a news echo chamber – and what to do about it
Technology exacerbates the news echo chamber, but it can also be the solution to overcoming our deep-seated psychological biases.
From ‘fascists’ to ‘feminazis’: how both sides of politics are biased in their political thinking
We like to think that our political views are well reasoned and backed by evidence. But research shows how easily we all succumb to cognitive biases to justify our own deeply held views.
Confirmation bias: A psychological phenomenon that helps explain why pundits got it wrong
It's human nature to notice or search out information that supports what you already believe and discount or avoid data to the contrary. The problem comes in when you don't recognize this bias is in play.
Why the Internet isn’t making us smarter – and how to fight back
We now have access to an Internet containing a vast store of information much bigger than any individual brain can carry - and that's not always a good thing.
Cosmology is in crisis – but not for the reason you may think
Confirmation bias, the psychological effect that makes people unconsciously interpret information to confirm their beliefs, is a big threat to cosmology.
Science fatigue keeps us clinging to bad health habits
The media constantly bombards us with the latest research on a plethora of topics without much nuance on its quality or relevance. So how can we trust science if it can't seem to make up its own mind?
Leaders only inspire when we feel part of their group
Leaders need to show followers they're with them, but that's no guarantee they will get everyone's support.
Gamma ray bursts and biases: let’s stop fitting data to the model
Our understanding of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) – flashes of gamma rays from explosions in distant galaxies – since they were discovered more than 50 years ago may not be as solid as first thought. Research…
Top contributors
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Director of External Research for frank, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida
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Associate professor, University of Western Australia
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Research Assistant Professor, Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University
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Professor of Science Communication and Chemistry, University of Hull
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Lecturer in Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Sheffield
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Senior Lecturer in Social Neuroscience, Monash University
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PhD Candidate in Psychology, University of Sydney
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PhD Candidate in Psychology, La Trobe University
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Lecturer in Astrophysics, UCL
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Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan
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Director, Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab, University of Cambridge
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Research Director and Digital Strategist for frank, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida
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Ph.D. Candidate in Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego
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Research Professor of Psychology, Tufts University
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Pre-Doctoral Researcher in Decision Making Science, Edinburgh Napier University
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