The Science Myths That Will Not Die. Scudellari, M. 528(7582):322–325.
The Science Myths That Will Not Die [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
False beliefs and wishful thinking about the human experience are common. They are hurting people - and holding back science. [Excerpt] [...] Scientists should work to discredit myths, but they also have a responsibility to try to prevent new ones from arising, says Paul Howard-Jones, who studies neuroscience and education at the University of Bristol, UK. ” We need to look deeper to understand how they come about in the first place and why they're so prevalent and persistent.” [\n] Some dangerous myths get plenty of air time: vaccines cause autism, HIV doesn't cause AIDS. But many others swirl about, too, harming people, sucking up money, muddying the scientific enterprise – or simply getting on scientists' nerves. Here, Nature looks at the origins and repercussions of five myths that refuse to die. [...] [\n] Once a myth is here, it is often here to stay. Psychological studies suggest that the very act of attempting to dispel a myth leads to stronger attachment to it. In one experiment, exposure to pro-vaccination messages reduced parents' intention to vaccinate their children in the United States. In another, correcting misleading claims from politicians increased false beliefs among those who already held them. ” Myths are almost impossible to eradicate,” says Kirschner. ” The more you disprove it, often the more hard core it becomes.”
@article{scudellariScienceMythsThat2015,
  title = {The Science Myths That Will Not Die},
  author = {Scudellari, Megan},
  date = {2015-12},
  journaltitle = {Nature},
  volume = {528},
  pages = {322--325},
  issn = {0028-0836},
  doi = {10.1038/528322a},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/528322a},
  abstract = {False beliefs and wishful thinking about the human experience are common. They are hurting people - and holding back science.

[Excerpt] [...] Scientists should work to discredit myths, but they also have a responsibility to try to prevent new ones from arising, says Paul Howard-Jones, who studies neuroscience and education at the University of Bristol, UK. ” We need to look deeper to understand how they come about in the first place and why they're so prevalent and persistent.”

[\textbackslash n] Some dangerous myths get plenty of air time: vaccines cause autism, HIV doesn't cause AIDS. But many others swirl about, too, harming people, sucking up money, muddying the scientific enterprise -- or simply getting on scientists' nerves. Here, Nature looks at the origins and repercussions of five myths that refuse to die. [...]

[\textbackslash n] Once a myth is here, it is often here to stay. Psychological studies suggest that the very act of attempting to dispel a myth leads to stronger attachment to it. In one experiment, exposure to pro-vaccination messages reduced parents' intention to vaccinate their children in the United States. In another, correcting misleading claims from politicians increased false beliefs among those who already held them. ” Myths are almost impossible to eradicate,” says Kirschner. ” The more you disprove it, often the more hard core it becomes.”},
  keywords = {*imported-from-citeulike-INRMM,~INRMM-MiD:c-13885697,~to-add-doi-URL,cognitive-biases,cognitive-structure,errors,psychology,scientific-communication,uncertainty-propagation},
  number = {7582}
}

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