The Scientific Impotence Excuse: Discounting Belief‐Threatening Scientific Abstracts

Munro, Geoffrey

doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2010.00588.x

Cited by 78 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…However, more research is needed in order to investigate under what circumstances, previous experience may lead to the belief that a correct answer exists since there are also reasons to believe that experience may lead to the conclusion “there is no correct answer .” For example, Munro (2010) found that people who have an opinion that contradicts the scientific consensus may conclude that the question cannot be answered within the frame of science. Thus, if a person initially has a belief that is in contrast to the majority of trusted others (e.g., “white and gold” in contrast to a majority of “blue and black” ), they may conclude that the question is not possible to answer.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress’ Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability

Karlsson

Allwood

2016

Front. Psychol.

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The Dress photograph, first displayed on the internet in 2015, revealed stunning individual differences in color perception. The aim of this study was to investigate if lay-persons believed that the question about The Dress colors was answerable. Past research has found that optimism is related to judgments of how answerable knowledge questions with controversial answers are (Karlsson et al., 2016). Furthermore, familiarity with a question can create a feeling of knowing the answer (Reder and Ritter, 1992). Building on these findings, 186 participants saw the photo of The Dress and were asked about the correct answer to the question about The Dress’ colors (“blue and black,” “white and gold,” “other, namely…,” or “there is no correct answer”). Choice of the alternative “there is no correct answer” was interpreted as believing the question was not answerable. This answer was chosen more often by optimists and by people who reported they had not seen The Dress before. We also found that among participants who had seen The Dress photo before, 19%, perceived The Dress as “white and gold” but believed that the correct answer was “blue and black.” This, in analogy to previous findings about non-believed memories (Scoboria and Pascal, 2016), shows that people sometimes do not believe the colors they have perceived are correct. Our results suggest that individual differences related to optimism and previous experience may contribute to if the judgment of the individual perception of a photograph is enough to serve as a decision basis for valid conclusions about colors. Further research about color judgments under ambiguous circumstances could benefit from separating individual perceptual experience from beliefs about the correct answer to the color question. Including the option “there is no correct answer” may also be beneficial.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress’ Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability

Karlsson

Allwood

2016

Front. Psychol.

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“…Perhaps, during the Christmas break, we, as reviewers and editors, might all take some time out to reflect on our own innate cognitive biases as well as how to overcome those of others. 29 …”

Section: Featurementioning

confidence: 99%

How the growth of denialism undermines public health

McKee

Diethelm²

2010

BMJ

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“…This is consistent with the broader empirical literature on public understanding of science (PUS) which shows that publics are not passive in their reception of scientific information; they more often resist or re-work scientific ideas based on their own values or experiences (Choudhury et al, 2012;G. Munro, 2010;O'Connor & Joffe, 2013;Pickersgill et al, 2015;Wynne, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

Morphett¹

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Biomedical models of addiction are becoming increasingly prevalent in public discourse about cigarette smoking, however there is some concern that smoking is becoming overly medicalised. Neuroscience research has revealed that nicotine use is associated with longlasting changes in the brain, and these findings are being presented in the media and in advertising campaigns for smoking cessation pharmacotherapies. The "brain disease model of addiction", which posits that chronic drug use leads to long-term changes in brain networks that make it very difficult to quit, is increasingly being applied to tobacco dependence. This is controversial in the tobacco control field, where population-based strategies have been successful in reducing the prevalence of smoking. Proponents of a biomedical model of tobacco dependence believe that it will lead to increased treatment seeking, more efficacious treatments, and a reduction in stigma. Critics of a biomedical model of nicotine addiction have expressed concerns that it will reduce individual responsibility for smoking, increase stigma, and undermine individuals' beliefs in their ability to quit. While these competing views on the impacts of biomedical models of addiction have been debated in the academic literature, it is unknown to what extent members of the public endorse a biomedical model of tobacco dependence, and have incorporated it into their everyday understandings of smoking.This research examined the influence of biomedical discourses of smoking on lay beliefs of Australian smokers and non-smokers about tobacco dependence and its treatment. It also explored daily smokers' attitudes to the labelling of nicotine addiction as a "brain disease." A mixed methods approach was used to ascertain the extent to which biomedical understandings of smoking have been incorporated into lay discourse on smoking and quitting; how Australian smokers understand nicotine addiction and the role of the brain; and how endorsement of the brain disease model of addiction may be related to smokers' attitudes towards smoking cessation and preferences for quitting methods.The thesis is comprised of three studies. Firstly, a secondary analysis of data from interviews with 55 members of the general public, including never smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers. The data was analysed to ascertain public attitudes on the best methods for quitting smoking. Results revealed that while cessation medications were frequently described as a helpful means to quit, the role of willpower, choice, and motivation were seen as central.iii Medications were often described as a "second line of defence", or as aids to be used alongside counselling or behavioural strategies.A second qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 29 daily smokers about their views on smoking cessation and their understanding of the role of the brain in smoking. The results revealed positive attitudes to quitting without assistance. Cessation medications were not perceived as magic bullets, and willpower and perso...

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The Scientific Impotence Excuse: Discounting Belief‐Threatening Scientific Abstracts

Cited by 78 publications

References 47 publications

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress’ Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress’ Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability

How the growth of denialism undermines public health

The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

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The Scientific Impotence Excuse: Discounting Belief‐Threatening Scientific Abstracts

Cited by 78 publications

References 47 publications

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress’ Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress’ Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability

How the growth of denialism undermines public health

The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

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Product

Resources

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The Scientific Impotence Excuse: Discounting Belief‐Threatening Scientific Abstracts