Uncertainty and Misinformation

Tl;dr: Commitment bias is when we stick to what we did or said in the past, even when we were clearly wrong, and the outcome didn’t turn out well. We are more likely to exhibit this if those behaviors were public and others were aware. Commitment bias can limit our personal growth and ability to Read more…

Tl;dr: The Hawthorne effect is when people behave differently because they know they are being watched. The Hawthorne effect can impact our behaviors, including health habits, as well as scientific study results. We can use the Hawthorne effect to our benefit when we are seeking to make changes in our lives. Picture this: Your friend Read more…

Tl;dr: Decision fatigue is that worn out, run down feeling we get when we have too many choices to make. As we become overwhelmed with choices, our ability to make decisions gets worse. We can minimize decision fatigue by reducing the number of decisions we need to make every day, having routines, and resting. Ever Read more…

Tl;dr: The framing effect is a cognitive bias in which our choices are more influenced by how information is presented than the information itself. We can overcome the framing effect by purposefully rephrasing information to reflect both positive and negative aspects of the choice, separating the information from the razzle dazzle, and gathering as much Read more…

Tl;dr: Availability bias, also called availability heuristic, is a type of cognitive bias that occurs when we rely disproportionately on the most readily available information to make decisions or judgments rather than the most representative or accurate data. Reflection and review of all available data can help us mitigate this particular bias. Sometimes do you Read more…

To help your child separate fact from fiction, teach them to: be skeptical, use credible sources, think critically, and embrace learning through science. Start early, and weave these lessons into everyday life. Back when we were young, we Nerdy Girls used encyclopedias, reference books, and textbooks to learn. These days, we are surrounded by a Read more…

Tl;dr: The Horn and Halo Effects are cognitive biases where our first impression influences our decision making and how we feel about someone. This impression can be based on a single characteristic that is not actually relevant, such as their race, gender identity, or even how attractive we find someone. To break this cycle, we Read more…

A: We don’t know for sure where SARS-CoV-2 came from, but most evidence to date supports the natural “spillover” explanation (e.g. the virus jumped from animals to humans). There may never be a “smoking gun” for SARS-CoV-2 origins. Pandemic preparedness efforts should focus on preventing both natural and man-made spillovers of pathogens. It’s 3+ years Read more…

It is! This week marks the 4th annual National News Literacy Week during which The News Literacy Project will be sharing tools and resources that can help us all become better at navigating news information and discuss how to rebuild trust in news media! TL; DR: Check out the events they have planned and sign Read more…

A: Experts recommend the SART strategy: Show empathy; Affirm critical thinking; avoid Ridicule; and invoke conspiracy theory “exiters” as Trusted messengers. And it never hurts to remember that as humans we need to feel heard before we can truly listen. Ah, conspiracy theories. We’ve all been exposed to them – wildly inaccurate hot-takes about COVID, Read more…