Using Pseudoscience to Teach Scientific Thinking. Jim Clark Department of Psychology University of Winnipeg

Transcription

1 Using Pseudoscience to Teach Scientific Thinking Jim Clark Department of Psychology University of Winnipeg 1

2 Adams & Manson (2014) 2 Single class activity: rate believability and identify flaws in four studies like: A famous Nobel Prize winning scientist announces that magnets can relieve back pain when rubbed on a person s back. He found 10 people with back pain and gave each of them magnet therapy. After the therapy, most of the people told him that their back pain was reduced. He concluded that magnets relieve back pain. Pre- and Post-Test Measure The four scenarios contain one or more flaws: reliance on anecdotal evidence, the role of chance, reliance on very small samples, no control group, confusion of correlation and causation, participant group differences, placebo effect, experimenter bias, order effects, and practice effects

3 Activity Infomercial for bracelet that improved energy & balance Group discussion of claims, evidence, further evidence that could be collected, vs Lecture on same research methods material 3 Class Number of Flaws Identified Pre-test Post-test Activity Lecture.68.78

4 Outline 4 Why teach about pseudoscience? Definition (Features) & Examples Commonality & Correlations Interventions Challenges to implementation

5 WHYTEACHPSEUDOSCIENCE? 5 Widespread belief in pseudoscientific or unscientific ideas Negative consequences of beliefs Contrast with science furthers understanding of nature of science (NOS) Development of critical (scientific) thinking

6 6 Impeyet al (2012): survey of more than 11,000 students over 22 years

7 Lobatoet al (2014) Pseudoscience Childhood vaccines are one causal factor in autism. (42%) Homeopathic treatments are just as valid as traditional medical treatments for serious illnesses. (38%) Reiki healing, known as Palm healing heals the body. (58%) Conspiracies US government was involved in events of 11 September (67%) Barack Obama is a native born US citizen. (No: 32%) John Lennon was the target of an assassination conspiracy. (29%) Paranormal Some humans have the ability to move objects using only mental force or to predict the future. (71%) A full moon causes people to behave oddly. (55%) Astrology explains the behaviors and personality of people. (67%) Some crystals, precious metals, or magnets, have mystical properties. (63%) 7

8 Homeopathy: Curative powers of highly diluted substances (1 part per ) 8

9 Negative Consequences 9 Makayla Sault Left chemotherapy treatment for cancer Alternative treatment at Hippocrates Health Institute Licensed as massage establishment Sued for practicing medicine without a license Steve Jobs Delayed medical treatment 9 months Tried to cure himself through acupuncture sessions, drinking special fruit juices, visiting spiritualists and using other treatments he found on the internet. Decreases trust in conventional science

10 DEFINITION& EXAMPLES No sharp definition like triangle, even number, Prototypical view (Lilienfeld, 2005) Excessive reliance on anecdotes and testimonials Emphasis on confirmation rather than refutation Ad hoc hypotheses immunize claims from falsification Failure to build on existing scientific knowledge Absence of self-correction, intellectual stagnation Put burden of proof on skeptics, not proponents Evade peer review Impressive jargon lends facade of scientific respectability Fail to specify settings under which claims do not hold 10

11 Homeopathy 11 Implausible mechanisms Water retains memory Archaic concepts: like cures like Anecdotal evidence Confirmation bias Equals placebo in test trials Unless not double-blind Questionable authorities Regression to mean

12 Therapeutic Touch 12 Non-contact energy healing therapy Restores harmony to person s energy fields Based on ancient practice Emily Rosa study 44% success experimental setting interferes with energy fields only works with believers

13 COMMONALITY& CORRELATIONS 13 Commonality Evidence that people who believe one pseudoscientific idea tend to believe others Predictors Hypotheses about cognitive and other factors underlying pseudoscientific beliefs

14 Correlations Among Various Unsubstantiated Beliefs 14 Lobato et al (2014) Measured three types of unsubstantiated beliefs in 455 university students Pseudoscience Conspiracy Paranormal

15 Results 15

16 Lindeman & Aarnio(2006) Measured diverse pseudoscientific beliefs and possible predictors in 3,261 respondents Again all correlated 16

17 Predictors 17 Intuitive Thinking I like to rely on my intuitive impressions Humanism Unity between nature and human beings Analytical Thinking I enjoy solving problems that require careful, logical analysis

18 Swami et al. (2014) British residents Belief in Conspiracy Theories & Thinking Style Rational: I enjoy problems that require hard work. Intuitive: I often go by my instincts when deciding on a course of action.

19 Lobatoet al (2014) 19 NFC: I prefer complex problems. DOC: I like control over what I do. CORE: Stars live in the sky.

20 INTERVENTIONS 20 Beliefs tend not to correlate with scientific knowledge Individual related classes limited benefit Pseudoscience Courses Short Interventions

21 Impey et al (2012) 21 A survey of over undergraduate students knowledge and attitudes related to science and technology over a 22-year period included statements that probed various aspects of pseudoscience belief and superstition. The results reveal that nonscientificways of thinking are resistant to formal instruction, changing surprisingly little over the course of a college career that typically includes three science courses. These results provide a challenge for educators who seek to improve the generally low level of science literacy among college graduates and members of the general public.

22 Impeyet al. (2012) 22 Average science knowledge scores as a function of belief in unscientific phenomena Unscientific Phenomena Science Literacy Score (max = 15) Agree 10.9 n = 1457 Disagree 11.7 n = 1599

23 Lehman & Nisbett (1990) 23 Some evidence for growth in general competencies from first to last year of university

24 McLaughlin & McGill (2017) 24 Critical Thinking + Pseudoscientific Project Critical Thinking Course Standard Research Methods Course Not Studied Items Studied Items Mean Change in Pseudoscientific Beliefs

25 LilienfeldModel Course 25 Class 1 Philosophy & nature of science, the nature of science and the scientific method Classes 2&3 How our thinking can go wrong Class 4&5 Parapsychology Class 6 Astrology Class 7 Biorhythms, the lunar lunacy effect Class 8 Brain myths: Subliminal perception Class 9 Polygraph testing, truth serum Class 10 Pseudoscientific assessment methods Class 11 Unsubstantiated psychotherapies

26 CHALLENGES 26 University advantages Relevant courses on research methods, statistics, Can offer entire course on Pseudoscience Much flexibility in content of our courses High School Set curriculum that must be covered Less individual control over class activities?

27 Adams & Manson (2014) 27 Single class activity Pre- and Post-Test Measure Four scenarios with one or more flaws: reliance on anecdotal evidence, the role of chance, reliance on very small samples, no control group, confusion of correlation and causation, participant group differences, placebo effect, experimenter bias, order effects, and practice effects Rate believability and identify flaws Example A famous Nobel Prize winning scientist announces that magnets can relieve back pain when rubbed on a person s back. He found 10 people with back pain and gave each of them magnet therapy. After the therapy, most of the people told him that their back pain was reduced. He concluded that magnets relieve back pain.

28 Activity Infomercial for bracelet that improved energy & balance Group discussion of claims, evidence, further evidence that could be collected, vs Lecture on same research methods material 28 Class Number of Flaws Identified Pre-test Post-test Activity Lecture.68.78

29 Some Pseudoscience in Schools Links 29 Ed Walsh s Bad Science for Schools (see link at end for more activities) Nature of Science at ENSI web Dean Baird s phyz.org Skepticism Site Rodney Schmaltz s Pseudoscience Super Challenge

30 General Links 30 Jim Clark s Links to Skeptic & Related Resources