(Press-News.org) Climate science supporters rated climate-skeptical statements as “truer” after just a single repetition, according to a study published August 7, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE led by Mary Jiang from The Australian National University, Australia, and coauthored by Norbert Schwarz from the University of Southern California, USA, and colleagues. The results held true even for the strongest climate science supporters surveyed.
Amidst the influx of content that a person consumes each day, the principle of motivated cognition suggests they are likelier to find truth in the statements that mirror their own beliefs. However, a second phenomenon, the illusory truth effect, suggests that just one repeated exposure to an idea — regardless of what it is — can elevate its perceived validity.
Schwarz and colleagues examined these ideas in the arena of climate science, questioning how self-identified climate science supporters might react when repeatedly exposed to climate-skeptical claims. Would repetition have an effect despite the conviction of their own beliefs?
The researchers fashioned two similar experiments, the first including 52 participants and the second 120. At least 90% of participants across both experiments endorsed climate science: the scientific evidence of human-caused climate change.
Participants reviewed a series of statements classified as climate-skeptical, climate-science, or weather-related filler statements. After 15 minutes, they reviewed a second series of claims, half of which were repetitions of the previous statements. They rated the claims from “Definitely True” to “Definitely False” on a six-point Likert scale. In Experiment 2, the participants also classified each claim as scientist- or skeptic-aligned, and defined their own climate views using the Six Americas Super Short Survey.
In the climate science endorsers, the repetition did increase perceived validity of all claim types — including the ones participants flagged retrospectively as antithetical to their own beliefs. This held true even for the strongest climate science supporters, those participants who self-identified as “Alarmed” by climate change.
These results reinforce the benefits of amplifying truth by repetition and the risks of spreading false information, the researchers write. They suggest that further studies include non-climate issues (e.g., immigration, education, healthcare, etc.), experiment with time spans and rounds of repetition, and invert the experiment to study how climate skeptics are affected by repetition of claims supporting climate science.
Lead author Mary Jiang adds: “People find claims of climate skeptics more credible when they have been repeated just once. Surprisingly, this increase in belief as a result of repetition occurs even when people identify as a strong endorser of climate science.”
#####
In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0307294
Citation: Jiang Y, Schwarz N, Reynolds KJ, Newman EJ (2024) Repetition increases belief in climate-skeptical claims, even for climate science endorsers. PLoS ONE 19(8): e0307294. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0307294
Author Countries: Australia, USA
Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.
END
Repetition boosts belief in climate-skeptical claims, even among climate science endorsers
A single repetition increased the claims’ perceived truth for the strongest climate science supporters surveyed
2024-08-07
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study quantifies air pollution for NYC subway commuters
2024-08-07
New York City subway commuters who are economically disadvantaged or belong to racial minority groups have the highest exposure to fine particulate matter during their commutes, according to a new study published August 7, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Shams Azad of New York University, USA.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a type of air pollution that, due to its small size, when inhaled by a person can enter the bloodstream. PM2.5 is known to cause short- and long-term health complications. For the last few decades, cities have promoted public transportation to reduce traffic congestion and improve ambient outdoor air quality. Subway systems reduce pollution by decreasing ...
TikTok videos glamorizing disordered eating behavior and extremely thin body image ideals make women feel worse about their bodies
2024-08-07
Women who spend a lot of time on TikTok — especially those seeing a lot of pro-anorexia content — feel worse about their appearance, a new study shows. The results suggest that high TikTok exposure could harm mental health, reducing body image satisfaction and increasing the risk for disordered eating behavior. Madison Blackburn and Rachel Hogg from Charles Sturt University in Australia present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August 7, 2024.
Since its launch, the short-form video app TikTok has had more than 2 billion downloads. The app’s algorithm curates content on a “For ...
Work-from-home success might depend on home office setup
2024-08-07
In a new survey study, Dutch employees who worked from home tended to report higher levels of productivity and less burnout if they were more satisfied with their home office setup. The study also linked more air ventilation in the home office to higher self-reported productivity. Martijn Stroom and colleagues at Maastricht University in the Netherlands report these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August 7, 2024.
In recent years, thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advancements, ...
Trained dogs can sniff out CWD, a disease of major concern, in the droppings of farmed and wild deer, offering potential for non-invasive surveillance
2024-08-07
Trained dogs can sniff out CWD, a disease of major concern, in the droppings of farmed and wild deer, offering potential for non-invasive surveillance
###
Article URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0303225
Article Title: Biodetection of an odor signature in white-tailed deer associated with infection by chronic wasting disease prions
Author Countries: USA
Funding: TWRA AP-14839 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY, TENNESSEE https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/financial_services_branch/agreements_service_center/terms-conditions-for-aphis-awards ...
Ice cream made from mare's milk blended with cow's cream not only tastes good, but may have beneficial probiotic qualities
2024-08-07
Ice cream made from mare's milk blended with cow's cream not only tastes good, but may have beneficial probiotic qualities
###
Article URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0304692
Article Title: The use of mare’s milk for yogurt ice cream and synbiotic ice cream production
Author Countries: Poland
Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. END ...
Indian business owners from the stigmatized Dalit group experience a business income gap of around 16% compared to others
2024-08-07
Indian business owners from the stigmatized Dalit group experience a business income gap of around 16% compared to others
###
Article URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0307660
Article Title: It’s not who you know, but who you are: Explaining income gaps of stigmatized-caste business owners in India
Author Countries: India, UK, Australia
Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. END ...
International Space Station crew carries out first-ever archeological survey in space
2024-08-07
An archaeological strategy adapted for space used daily photos to reveal how astronauts actually use areas aboard the International Space Station – and how this differs from intended uses. Justin Walsh of Chapman University, California, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August 7, 2024.
More than 270 people from 23 countries have visited the International Space Station (ISS) over more than two decades. Crew member interviews can reveal how people adapt to a novel environment—one featuring isolation, confinement, and microgravity—that is far removed ...
Electric bandage holds promise for treating chronic wounds
2024-08-07
Researchers have developed an inexpensive bandage that uses an electric field to promote healing in chronic wounds. In animal testing, wounds that were treated with these electric bandages healed 30% faster than wounds treated with conventional bandages.
Chronic wounds are open wounds that heal slowly, if they heal at all. For example, sores that occur in some patients with diabetes are chronic wounds. These wounds are particularly problematic because they often recur after treatment and significantly increase the risk of amputation and death.
One of the challenges associated ...
Researchers unlock life history secrets of Jurassic mammals using X-ray imaging
2024-08-07
A new study published in Science Advances reveals how early mammals grew and developed during their pivotal Jurassic radiation. Using a technique called synchrotron X-ray tomography to image growth rings in fossilised tooth roots, the researchers were able to estimate lifespans, growth rates, and even the timing of sexual maturity in these ancient creatures.
“This is the first time we've been able to reconstruct the growth patterns of these early mammals in such detail,” said Dr Elis Newham, a Postdoctoral Research Associate ...
Studying how serotonin alters locust’s sense of smell
2024-08-07
By Leah Shaffer
Researchers at Wash U have spent the better part of the decade studying the ins and outs of how locusts smell, including how odors affect the insect’s behavior.
In research recently published in eLife, Barani Raman, a professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering, starts to map out just how olfactory circuits are altered in driving different behavior in locusts. Neuromodulator serotonin is a key factor in triggering how locusts can go from being a “loner” to “gregarious” — otherwise known as swarming ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Reality check: making indoor smartphone-based augmented reality work
Overthinking what you said? It’s your ‘lizard brain’ talking to newer, advanced parts of your brain
Black men — including transit workers — are targets for aggression on public transportation, study shows
Troubling spike in severe pregnancy-related complications for all ages in Illinois
Alcohol use identified by UTHealth Houston researchers as most common predictor of escalated cannabis vaping among youths in Texas
Need a landing pad for helicopter parenting? Frame tasks as learning
New MUSC Hollings Cancer Center research shows how Golgi stress affects T-cells' tumor-fighting ability
#16to365: New resources for year-round activism to end gender-based violence and strengthen bodily autonomy for all
Earliest fish-trapping facility in Central America discovered in Maya lowlands
São Paulo to host School on Disordered Systems
New insights into sleep uncover key mechanisms related to cognitive function
USC announces strategic collaboration with Autobahn Labs to accelerate drug discovery
Detroit health professionals urge the community to act and address the dangers of antimicrobial resistance
3D-printing advance mitigates three defects simultaneously for failure-free metal parts
Ancient hot water on Mars points to habitable past: Curtin study
In Patagonia, more snow could protect glaciers from melt — but only if we curb greenhouse gas emissions soon
Simplicity is key to understanding and achieving goals
Caste differentiation in ants
Nutrition that aligns with guidelines during pregnancy may be associated with better infant growth outcomes, NIH study finds
New technology points to unexpected uses for snoRNA
Racial and ethnic variation in survival in early-onset colorectal cancer
Disparities by race and urbanicity in online health care facility reviews
Exploring factors affecting workers' acquisition of exercise habits using machine learning approaches
Nano-patterned copper oxide sensor for ultra-low hydrogen detection
Maintaining bridge safer; Digital sensing-based monitoring system
A novel approach for the composition design of high-entropy fluorite oxides with low thermal conductivity
A groundbreaking new approach to treating chronic abdominal pain
ECOG-ACRIN appoints seven researchers to scientific committee leadership positions
New model of neuronal circuit provides insight on eye movement
Cooking up a breakthrough: Penn engineers refine lipid nanoparticles for better mRNA therapies
[Press-News.org] Repetition boosts belief in climate-skeptical claims, even among climate science endorsersA single repetition increased the claims’ perceived truth for the strongest climate science supporters surveyed