Misinformation is ubiquitous in our society. We find it in news outlets, on social media, and — for many people — in daily conversations. At the root of misinformation is someone who strongly believes in an inaccurate or flawed assessment of the evidence. Put simply, the person has confidence in their knowledge, even if it is not based on solid facts. [Read more…]
When Knowledge Leads to Overconfidence
September 30, 2023 By
The Problem With How-to-Be-Happy Strategies
September 27, 2023 By
Advice on how to cultivate happiness is hard to avoid. Magazines, online news outlets, and television news tout the best ways to improve your mood and boost contentment. Often making the list: exercise, smiling (even when you don’t feel happy), and meditation. [Read more…]
Scientific Consensus: Humans Are Causing Climate Change
November 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment
When former Vice President Al Gore launched the movie An Inconvenient Truth in 2006 to explain the science behind climate change to the American public, surveys showed that many Americans didn’t believe in climate change, even though scientific data was building that humans actions were causing global warming. [Read more…]
For COVID News, Always Read Beyond the Scary Headline
May 6, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Contributed by Karl Pillemer, Ph.D.
To inform yourself about the coronavirus, you have probably sought out your favorite news sources. In doing so, you may have been overwhelmed (and perhaps terrified) by negative headlines, such as these: [Read more…]
Novel Research Methods Reveal More About Police Violence
August 29, 2018 By Leave a Comment
If you follow the news, you can’t miss the stories about violent interactions between police and civilians. Over the past six years, there have been dozens of high profile cases of police violence against civilians and, specifically, African-Americans. Numerous activist groups campaigning for the people involved in these incidents have formed including Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, Say Her Name, Blue Lives Matter and many more. [Read more…]
What Happens When We Separate Families
July 6, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Over the past several months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – has been separating parents and their children seeking asylum at the U.S. border. In the vast majority of cases, these children have been taken to care institutions while their parents are detained in jail. [Read more…]
Sexual Harassment Training Is Largely Ineffective
January 5, 2018 By Leave a Comment
More than 40 politicians, actors, news journalists and high-profile managers have stepped down from their posts in recent weeks after being accused of sexual harassment. [Read more…]
The Evidence on Reducing Gun Violence
October 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment
As the nation reels from Monday’s horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas, politicians on the left are calling for new regulations on firearms. In our modern society, it’s the standard response that after every major mass shooting, Democrats make the case for passing more stringent laws about what types of firearms are available and who can own them. And people who support gun owners’ rights often make the argument that guns don’t kill people; people kill people. But what does the evidence say? [Read more…]
What we know about fake news
February 3, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Former President Barack Obama banned the pledge of allegiance in schools before leaving office, and Pope Francis endorsed President Donald Trump in the 2016 election….right? [Read more…]
Proven ways to change someone’s mind
November 14, 2016 By 2 Comments
With the 2016 presidential election only one week behind us, social media is still filled with difference viewpoint about President-elect Donald Trump. There are videos, news articles and essays that add new details to the glut of information. But does any of it make a difference? [Read more…]
Is science reliable?
February 22, 2016 By 1 Comment
Here at EBL, we’re written before about the pitfalls of science reporting in popular media. Even well-researched, comprehensive scientific reports often draw conclusions that we later learn are inaccurate. [Read more…]
An evidence-based look at a football scandal?
January 26, 2016 By Leave a Comment
If you pay any attention to sports, you have likely heard about the football scandal that erupted last year when the Indianapolis Colts accused the New England Patriots of deflating footballs to give their quarterback, Tom Brady, an unfair advantage. [Read more…]
