Why people fall for misinformation and how to avoid being fooled

To combat misinformation, Edmans suggests we need to be better informed – and far more sceptical. ‘s science and tech newsletter. Our series of guest newsletters that try to untangle big issues affecting the twinned worlds of science and technology continue once more.

In some ways, that’s unsurprising, says Edmans. “These biases are hardwired in us,” he said. “Confirmation bias is the temptation to accept something uncritically if we like it to be true, and to reject something out of hand.” Hearing something that contradicts your entrenched world view lights up parts of your brain that trigger the fight or flight mechanism in your body.

“But the question is, is it breastfeeding that causes those outcomes?” said Edmans. “Or is it that mothers who breastfeed are different in other ways?” He points out that breastfeeding takes time and effort – something poorer mothers are less likely to have, because of work and life pressures. Instead, we have correlation, not causation.

“Could this be damaging to mothers and get mothers guilt shamed into always breastfeeding when it’s exhausting?” he asked.The ease of publishing and sharing research online, combined with perverse incentives that require academics to “publish or perish” in their jobs, has led to an increase in poor-quality studies. “You can go viral with TED talks and books that you couldn’t do previously,” said Edmans.

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