 "False information")
Refutation approaches are more effective in combating scientific misinformation. Image: Shutterstock
According to a study, debunking approaches are more effective in combating scientific misinformation than simply stating facts.
The researchers found that among 152 college students exposed to misinformation, those who read an article containing pure facts retained more misconceptions than those who read an article containing a refutation.
The results were published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching.
“Refutation approaches seem to work really well. While it’s always best to take the lead as a teacher or communicator, students have smartphones. They’re going to come across misinformation quickly. If we take this refutation approach, we’re more likely to be able to overcome misinformation,” said lead author Robert Danielson, an educational psychology researcher at Washington State University.
For the study, the researchers first tested the participating students’ knowledge about adding fluoride to water.
Students then read two articles: one containing the misinformation that fluoridation is harmful, and another presenting the scientific consensus that fluoridation is safe and prevents dental disease.
Participants all read the same misinformation text, but different groups read an article with the correct information, either in a traditional style that presented the facts or in a style that first refuted the misinformation and then presented the facts. The researchers also tested the effects of having participants read the correct article before or after the misinformation.
The results showed that students learned something in all four situations. However, the group that saw the misinformation first and then the bare facts performed the worst, the researchers found.
Those who read the debunking article either before or after the misinformation had fewer misconceptions. They also had more positive feelings about the topic, the authors found.
“Our results show that reading refutation texts led to significantly fewer misunderstandings and reduced negative emotions,” the authors wrote.
Given the abundance of information readily available on the Internet, many people have a hard time distinguishing facts from falsehoods. This can lead to a problem researchers call “conceptual contamination” – when learning incorrect information interferes with learning correct information.
“Your mind doesn’t differentiate between content. Whether it’s a right idea or a wrong idea, it just takes it all in,” Danielson said.
“People get misconceptions pretty easily, and there are a lot of them on the Internet,” says Danielson.
In a meta-analysis of 76 educational studies, Danielson and his team found that the refutation approach works well for a wide range of topics – from uncontroversial topics in physics and chemistry to highly controversial ones, including climate change and evolution, as well as genetically modified foods and vaccines. The analysis was recently published in the journal Educational Psychologist.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been edited by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First published: 25 August 2024 | 11:52 am IS
