In short: Not only is human judgement driven by cognitive shortcuts and social influences, it is also heavily affected by the way mass media works

1. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes

2. Evidentiary reasoning:
Why do people believe weird
things?

3. Motivation
Common illusions Benefits
Unrealistically positive self-regard Happiness or contentment
Illusions of control Ability to care for others
Unrealistic optimism Capacity for creativity/productivity

4. Second-hand information
After Gilovich (1991):
Distortions due to memory limitations
Distortions due to bias
Malevolent: e.g., fraud
Benevolent: e.g., face-saving
Distortions to enhance efficiency of
communication
Sharpening/levelling of details
Embellishment with additional
‘detail’
Distortions due to plausibility
adjustment
Urban legends (snopes.com)

5. First-hand information
Tendency to believe others are more susceptible to
cognitive biases than self
Tendency to attach greater weight to one’s own
ability to withstand bias than to ability of others
-- Pronin et al. (2004)

6. Exaggerated impressions of agreement
The “social false-consensus effect” (Ross et al., 1977; Dawes, 2001)
A false belief that other people share our views
Why?
Selective exposure
Inadequate social feedback

7. Conclusion
Cognitive and social factors The existence (or popularity)
facilitate the spread of of a pseudoscience is not
unfounded claims necessarily linked to its
validity, efficacy, or utility

8. The role of the media

9. The language of science

10. The language of science
“American scientific
companies are cross-
breeding humans and
animals, and coming
up with mice…
with fully functioning
human brains…”
Christine O’Donnell, 15 November 2007

11. The language of science
Top: Winder (2006). UNAIDS/06.25E
Bottom: Mills et al. (2004). American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(2), 278-285.

12. Science in the Media
Relevance of Research
Related Research
News
Numbers Audience
Experts
Theory
Procedures
Social Context
0 20 40 60 80 100
From: Zimmerman et al. (2001). Public Understanding of Science, 10, 37-58.

13. Science in the Media
Relevance of Research
Related Research
News
Numbers Audience
Experts
Theory
Procedures
Social Context
0 20 40 60 80 100
From: Zimmerman et al. (2001). Public Understanding of Science, 10, 37-58.

14. Science in the Media
Relevance of Research
Related Research
News
Numbers Audience
Experts
Theory
Procedures
Social Context
0 20 40 60 80 100
From: Zimmerman et al. (2001). Public Understanding of Science, 10, 37-58.

15. Media Frames
Nanotech GM food Archaeology
Social Safety Empiricism
consequences vs. Custom

16. Media Frames
Nanotech
Benefits Concern
outweigh about Risk-
Risks Benefit
balance
Risks
outweigh
Social Benefits
consequences
From: Stephens (2005). Scientific Communication, 27, 175-199.

17. Media Metaphors
From: Ungar (2000). Public Understanding of Science, 9, 297-312.

18. Media Triggers
80 120
70
100
60
80
50
40 60
30 NY Times
40
20 Wash Post
20 NY
10
0 0 DC
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Shanahan & Good (2000). Public Understanding of Science, 9, 285-295.

19. Portrayal of Scientists
Seven primary stereotypes:
 The evil alchemist
 The noble scientist as hero
 The foolish scientist
 The inhuman researcher
 The scientist as adventurer
 The mad, bad, dangerous scientist
 The helpless scientist, unable to
control the outcomes of his/her
work
Haynes (2003). Public Understanding of Science, 12, 243-253.

20. Portrayal of Scientists
“Throughout Western
culture, despite the
existence of other figures
and stereotypes, the
master
narrative of the scientist is
of an evil maniac and a
dangerous man.”
Haynes (2003). Public Understanding of Science, 12, 243-253.

21. News Logic: Restrictions on the
Messengers
Limited space/airtime
Preference for “hard”
news
Tight deadlines/budgets
Press releases/
Churnalism
Competitive market

22. Summary
Audiences and scientists see science
differently
Media reporting employs narrative frames
Media translations rely on metaphors
Public interest in science responds to cultural
triggers
Views of scientists are stereotyped
Journalists work in very
restrictive environments

23. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes