Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFWeightStigma
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View our original Instagram Post!Did you know that misinformation on the internet and social media often plays on your emotions to go viral?
Emotions can hinder our critical thinking. Read more on that and how to protect yourself here https://t.co/gumtyFpleV#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/wJbyqN9cOv — ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced’Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) July 8, 2024
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Anecdotes can help convey information in a way that is easy to understand and remember (4,5). But sometimes our brains can latch onto these easy and emotional stories at the cost of considering more robust evidence (1,3,5). This can lead to some pretty harmful decisions (3)!
Read on to learn why we like anecdotes so much, and why this might be a problem. And if you find yourself being more convinced by a story than a statistic, take a step back and consider all the evidence before making your choice!
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFAnecdotalEvidence
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We all love a good story, right? 📖
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) June 13, 2024
But if you find yourself being more convinced by an anecdote than a statistic, take a step back and consider all the evidence before making your choice!https://t.co/XiIvMg0BhK#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/regHbP8vYG
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While it’s true that meteorologists sometimes miss the mark, a 5-day forecast can accurately predict the weather 90 percent of the time (1,2,3). Focusing only on those few misses while ignoring all the accurate predictions is an example of cherry-picking evidence.
Same goes with science. When scientists reach a consensus, it means that a vast majority of experts in a certain field agree based on extensive evidence (4). For example, over 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is real and driven by human activities (5,6,7,8). It does not mean that there are no contradictory studies – there usually are (9). But picking only the studies that support your view while ignoring the bulk of evidence is misleading.
Cherry-picking happens when people intentionally or unintentionally select evidence that fits their narrative while ignoring all the data that might contradict it. This misinformer tactic is often used by denialists or people who support a controversial opinion (9,10). By only presenting the few examples or studies that best align with their view they make it seem like their idea actually aligns with the scientific consensus (10). Others will deny or discredit all work that goes against their belief, but accept the same scientific process when the findings align with their ideology (11).
As humans, we often select information that already aligns with our beliefs. That’s called a confirmation bias (10,11,12). To avoid doing unintentional cherry-picking, be mindful of your own bias, take time to form an opinion, and ask yourself if any other evidence might be available (10).
We are all a little biased. It’s human nature. But by recognizing our bias, we can avoid the cherry-picking trap! Let us know if you want to see more posts about human biases!
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFCherryPicking
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Have you ever heard of “cherry-picking”?
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) May 31, 2024
This is when certain data has been selected to fit a specific narrative. It’s a misinformer tactic often used by people with controversial opinions…
Learn more here 👇 https://t.co/YjMBJ4qIfR#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/xzM9VJocHA
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We wondered: “What would Clippy say if it was programmed to nudge and assist people with misinformation?”
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We felt nostalgic this week and wanted to bring back Clippy, but with a twist!
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) May 3, 2024
We wondered: “What would Clippy say if it was programmed to nudge and assist people with misinformation?” More Clippys here https://t.co/VLBlUV3i0G#ScienceUpFirst #LaSciencedAbord pic.twitter.com/NS3ZqIdXOO
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On the topic of mouth breathing vs nose breathing, there are many claims out there and it is a nuanced topic that may require its own post in the future. Don’t hesitate if you have questions. As a precaution and regardless of the claims made, any changes to your breathing habits should be done slowly and incrementally.
We also got an unusual question outside of our usual expertise but it made us laugh and learn something new, so we include it here as a bonus question:
“Is a shark’s brain actually the same shape as a uterus?”
Yes, they tend to be long and thin and can look like a spark plug or even a uterus sometimes because of the olfactory bulbs that can extend outwards (17,18)!
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFApril2024
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We love reading your questions and always encourage curiosity and digging deeper!
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) May 3, 2024
When you ask questions we take the time to do some research and consult an expert when needed!
Check out some of the questions that caught our attention https://t.co/Eam1rxGuIQ#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/eI0udeHjhz
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It recently became very popular on social media, but that doesn’t mean it works!
Let’s find out!
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFMewing
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Have you ever heard of mewing, a practice that strengthens your jaw and improves the appearance of your face?
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) April 18, 2024
It recently became very popular on social media, but that doesn’t mean it works!
Read more about it here https://t.co/UZrmdUbZfx#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/Oq9O0wlv9a
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Check out this post for an explanation of the hierarchy of evidence
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFHierarchyEvidence
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Did you know that not all scientific evidence has the same weight?
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) April 5, 2024
The more the study is influenced by the expert, the higher the risk of bias.
Here is the hierarchical pyramid of evidence https://t.co/WNKizlVc5m#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/bJi2yIdeo2
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Swipe through for just some of the key reasons why Princess Catherine’s absence captivated our conspiratorial minds.
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFPrincessKate
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The Royal Family has now released a statement about Princess Catherine's health after weeks of wild conspiracy theories.
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) March 27, 2024
This was none of our business. So why was the internet so obsessed with #KateGate? https://t.co/zeEbPK6hm1#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/ulV8rRWcRv
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Make sure you see the big picture!
Thank you to @figures.first for this great collaborative post!
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFMisleadingPercentage
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Have you ever noticed the use of percentages in health product advertisements? Without context, they're meaningless and can be misleading.
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) March 20, 2024
Make sure you see the big picture!
Learn more here: https://t.co/lPHoSrvmIp#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/LmWetEDE4Y
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Here are a few tips to help you get through these difficult discussions.
There are also resources available across the country to tackle radicalization in friends and family members. Check out our references (38).
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/SUFConversations
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Discussing polarizing topics can be difficult. Regardless of who the conversation is with, it’s better for everyone if it goes positively. Even if you can't see eye to eye.
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) February 23, 2024
Here are a few tips to help you get through these difficult discussions. https://t.co/BdEpACiaDh pic.twitter.com/RAgHqhFxob
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The causal fallacy is a tactic that can trip up the best of us! Why? Our brains like to take shortcuts wherever possible. So when we see…
A followed by B .
Our brains want to jump to: A caused B.
While causation and correlation can exist at the same time, the two events are often unrelated. Even if the rooster does not crow, the sun will still come up.
Here is a COVID-19 example of the causal fallacy.
Misinformer: “My cousin got the vaccine and one month later had a heart attack. The shot caused him to have a heart attack!”
Reality: The COVID-19 vaccine is not a known cause of heart attacks. Every hour approximately 12 Canadian adults diagnosed with heart disease die. With 76% of Canadians fully vaccinated, the chances of having heart disease and being vaccinated are high. The two might correlate, but vaccination is not the cause.
Thanks to Jordan Collver for collaborating with us on this post. Jordan is an illustrator and science communicator specializing in using the visual and narrative power of comics to explore themes of science, nature, and belief.
We’re working on a series of misinformer tactics with Jordan so stay tuned for more.
Check out his work on his website and on Twitter.
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Correlation does not equal causation! 📣📣📣
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) January 11, 2022
The causal fallacy is an easy trap to fall into 🕳
Why? Our brains like to take shortcuts wherever possible
🧵[1/4]#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/Px4pvMGc6f
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These theories can be very compelling, and sometimes fun (ARE birds real?!), but conspiracy beliefs can also cause real harm.
Check out our crash course to learn more about what conspiracy theories are, why people believe them, and what we can do about them.
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Have you ever been drawn into the realm of conspiracy theories? 👁️
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) January 26, 2024
Check out our crash course to learn more about what these theories are, why people believe them, and what we can do about them.
The truth is out there! And it's also at https://t.co/56P9pHuHca#ScienceUpFirst pic.twitter.com/ima0uYQxGB
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