Matt pointed me to this interesting article a few days ago: How Facts Backfire.
Seems that despite we geniuses saying we want facts and transparency, research shows that adding facts and logic strengthens one’s resolve to believe what he or she already believes, even when wrong.
The article says:
“...We often base our opinions on our beliefs, which can have an uneasy relationship with facts. And rather than facts driving beliefs, our beliefs can dictate the facts we chose to accept. They can cause us to twist facts so they fit better with our preconceived notions. Worst of all, they can lead us to uncritically accept bad information just because it reinforces our beliefs. This reinforcement makes us more confident we’re right, and even less likely to listen to any new information.”
In an NPR interview In Politics, Sometimes The Facts Don't Matter , Researcher Brendan Nyhan, University of Michigan, explains that this strengthening of beliefs when confronted with accurate but conflicting information is a natural defense mechanism to avoid cognitive dissonance.
(Here’s his paper, When Corrections Fail: The Persistence of Political Misperceptions )
As an avid reader of arguments and discussions on the Forums and on the various Yahoo elists, I certainly see this phenomenon over and over. I think that is one reason Rick Magnus’ proposed amendment failed at the ABM… no matter how much documentation and information TPTB makes available, if it doesn’t corroborate the theories already held by the ones demanding transparency, they will just insist that TPTB is still hiding something.
Are even we thoughtful, educated Mensans really that shallow that we can’t swallow our pride and change our views when we have corrected information? And if we do change our minds as a result of new information and contemplation, are we going to be seen as just flip-flopping for political gain?
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