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The Science Communication Problem: One Good Explanation, Four Not so Good Ones, and a Fitting Solution

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

Hierarchy Egalitarianism Abortion procedure compulsory psychiatric treatment Abortion procedure compulsory psychiatric treatment Risk Perception Key Low Risk High Risk Individualism Communitarianism Environment: climate, nuclear Guns/Gun Control HPV Vaccination Gays military/gay parenting Environment: climate, nuclear hierarchical individualists hierarchical communitarians egalitarian communitarians egalitarian individualists Cultural Cognition Worldviews

Source: Kahan, D.M., Jenkins-Smith, H. & Braman, D. Cultural Cognition of Scientific Consensus. J. Risk Res. 14, (2011).

Climate Change Nuclear Power Climate Change Nuclear Power Guns/Gun Control Hierarchy Egalitarianism Individualism Communitarianism Cultural Cognition Worldviews Risk Perception Key Low Risk High Risk

Source: Kahan, D.M., Jenkins-Smith, H. & Braman, D. Cultural Cognition of Scientific Consensus. J. Risk Res. 14, (2011).

High Risk (science conclusive) Low Risk (science inconclusive) Climate Change

Low Risk (safe) High Risk (not safe) Geologic Isolation of Nuclear Wastes

High Risk (Increase crime) Low Risk (Decrease Crime) Concealed Carry Laws

Source: Kahan, D.M., Jenkins-Smith, H. & Braman, D. Cultural Cognition of Scientific Consensus. J. Risk Res. 14, (2011).

N = 1,500. Derived from ordered-logit regression analysis, controlling for demographic and political affiliation/ideology variables. Culture variables set 1 SD from mean on culture scales. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence Concealed Carry Climate Change Nuclear Power 31% 54% 22% 58% 61% 72% Pct. Point Difference in Likelihood of Selecting Response 60% 40% 20% 0 20% 40% 60% Egalitarian Communitarian More Likely to Agree Hierarchical Individualist More Likely to Agree Featured scientist is a knowledgeable and credible expert on...

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

Source: Kahan, D.M., Jenkins-Smith, H. & Braman, D. Cultural Cognition of Scientific Consensus. J. Risk Res. 14, (2011).

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

Global temperatures are increasing. Human activity is causing global warming. Radioactive wastes from nuclear power can be safely disposed of in deep underground storage facilities. Permitting adults without criminal records or histories of mental illness to carry concealed handguns in public decreases violent crime. 57% “What is the position of expert scientists?” How much more likely to believe 5x 12x 3x 6x

N = 1,500. Derived from ordered-logit regression analysis, controlling for demographic and political affiliation/ideology variables. Culture variables set 1 SD from mean on culture scales. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence Concealed Carry Climate Change Nuclear Power 31% 54% 22% 58% 61% 72% Pct. Point Difference in Likelihood of Selecting Response 60% 40% 20% 0 20% 40% 60% Egalitarian Communitarian More Likely to Agree Hierarchical Individualist More Likely to Agree Featured scientist is a knowledgeable and credible expert on...

Climate Change Nuclear Power Climate Change Nuclear Power Guns/Gun Control Hierarchy Egalitarianism Individualism Communitarianism Cultural Cognition Worldviews Risk Perception Key Low Risk High Risk

Global temperatures are increasing. Human activity is causing global warming. Radioactive wastes from nuclear power can be safely disposed of in deep underground storage facilities. Permitting adults without criminal records or histories of mental illness to carry concealed handguns in public decreases violent crime. 57% “What is the position of expert scientists?” How much more likely to believe 5x 12x 3x 6x

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

Misinformation and the science communication problem Economically motivated interest groups misinformation supply The standard view: Credulous Public

Featured scientist is a knowledgeable and credible expert on... climate change

Featured scientist is a knowledgeable and credible expert on... Nuclear power

Featured scientist is a knowledgeable and credible expert on... Concealed Carry

Climate Change Nuclear Power Climate Change Nuclear Power Guns/Gun Control Hierarchy Egalitarianism Individualism Communitarianism Cultural Cognition Worldviews Risk Perception Key Low Risk High Risk

Misinformation and the science communication problem Economically motivated interest groups Credulous Public misinformation supply Culturally Motivated Public Opportunistic Misinformers demand for misinformation The motivated-public account: The standard view: …

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547. RD prediction: Science Illiteracy & Bounded Rationality High Sci. litearcy/System 2 (“slow”) Low Sci. litearcy/System 1 (“fast”) Actual variance...

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547. Actual variance... High Sci. litearcy/System 2 (“slow”) Low Sci. litearcy/System 1 (“fast”) High Sci lit/numeracy Low Sci lit/numeracy

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” Low Sci lit/numeracy High Sci lit/numeracy Cultural Variance Hierarchical Individualist Egalitarian Communitarian U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547. Cultural variance conditional on sci. literacy/numeracy?

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” Low Sci lit/numeracy High Sci lit/numeracy Egalitarian Communitarian RD prediction: Culture as heuristic substitute Hierarchical Individualist U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547.

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” High Sci lit/numeracy Actual interaction of culture & sci-lit/num... Low Sci lit/numeracy High Sci lit/numeracy Egal Comm Low Sci/lit numeracy Egal Comm Low Sci lit/num. Hierarc Individ High Sci lit/numeracy Hierarch Individ U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547.

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” High Sci lit/numeracy Low Sci lit/numeracy Low Sci lit/num. Hierarc Individ High Sci lit/numeracy Egal Comm High Sci lit/numeracy Hierarch Individ Low Sci/lit numeracy Egal Comm Actual interaction of culture & sci-lit/num... U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547.

Greater Lesser perceived risk (z-score) “How much risk do you believe climate change poses to human health, safety, or prosperity?” High Sci lit/numeracy Low Sci lit/numeracy Low Sci lit/num. Hierarc Individ POLARIZATION INCREASES as scil-lit/numeracy increases High Sci lit/numeracy Egal Comm High Sci lit/numeracy Hierarch Individ Low Sci/lit numeracy Egal Comm U.S. general population survey, N = 1,500. Scale 0 (“no risk at all”) to 10 (“extreme risk”), M = 5.7, SD = 3.4. CIs reflect 0.95 level of confidence. source: Kahan, D.M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M., Slovic, P., Ouellette, L.L., Braman, D. & Mandel, G. The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks. Nature Clim. Change, advance online publication (2012), doi: /nclimate1547.

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

Finding # 1. Political differences in CRT are trivial No. correct Likelihood of answering correctly Democrat Republican

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

Finding # 2. Identity-protective cognition is ideologically symmetric Lib. Dem. Conserv. Repub. Likelihood of perceiving CRT valid

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

1,800 adults drawn from nationally representative on-line panel  Political ideology & party affiliation  Cognitive reflection test (CRT)  Perceived validity of CRT control vs. “skeptic biased” & “nonskeptic biased” Sample Measures Experimental Manipulation Study design

Finding # 3. Identity-protective cognition increases with CRT Lib. Dem., low CRT Conserv. Repub., low CRT Lib. Dem., high CRT Conserv. Repub., high CRT Likelihood of perceiving CRT valid

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between meaning and fact The science communication problem...

Misinformation and the science communication problem Economically motivated interest groups Credulous Public misinformation supply Culturally Motivated Public Opportunistic Misinformers demand for misinformation The motivated-public account: The standard view: …

Misinformation and the science communication problem Culturally Motivated Public Opportunistic Misinformers demand for misinformation …

Culturally Motivated Public Opportunistic Misinformers demand for misinformation Strategic Behavior + Misadventure + Miscalculation… generation of antagonistic meanings Culturally Motivated Public Pollution of the science communication environment …

I.One good explanation: identity-protective cognition II.Four not so good ones … A. Science denial B. Misinformation C. Rationality deficit (RD) D.Authoritarian personality (redux) III.A fitting solution: the wall of separation between cultural meaning and scientific fact The science communication problem...

Cultural Cognition Cat Scan Experiment Go to