Walking Back the Backfire Effect
Studies have even shown the existence of a “backfire effect,” whereby facts can make people double-down on their false ideas. As Brendan Nyhan, professor of government at Dartmouth College and one of the researchers behind the discovery of the backfire effect, explained to Brooke in 2009, “people were so successful at bringing to mind reasons the correction was wrong that they actually ended up being more convinced than the people who didn’t receive the correction.”
After new research, however, it seems that the backfire effect might not be as strong as once thought – giving hope to anyone invested in the pursuit of a more truthful world.
Washington Post: The method you learned for treating an ankle or knee sprain is probably wrong
If you’ve ever sprained an ankle or knee, you’ve probably heard that a couple of days of rest, ice, compression and elevation — RICE — is the surest route to recovery. But some, including the doctor who coined the term RICE, now question the “rest” and “ice” parts of the formula.
Gabe Mirkin, author of “The Sports Medicine Book,” where the RICE acronym first appeared in 1978, used to advocate icing right after a sprain or strain because cooling an injury delays swelling and reduces pain. But he changed his recommendation after reviewing the latest research.
Washington Post: This is what Trump voters said when asked to compare his inauguration crowd with Obama’s
