Speaking of Psychology Why numeracy counts in everyday life, with Ellen Peters, PhD
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Aug 20, 2025 Ellen Peters, PhD, is the Director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon, specializing in psychology and journalism. She dives deep into the importance of numeracy in daily life, from health decisions to financial choices. The discussion covers common misinterpretations of numbers, and how emotional responses can cloud judgment. Peters offers practical strategies to boost numerical confidence and improve decision-making, stressing the crucial role that effective communication of statistics plays in fostering trust and understanding.
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What Objective Numeracy Means
- Objective numeracy is the ability to understand and use basic probability and mathematical concepts.
- Ellen Peters compares numeracy to literacy: it's about processing numbers like literacy is about words.
Numbers Everywhere In Daily Life
- Numbers appear in everyday health choices like medication benefits and side effects.
- Peters also notes numerical wildfire-risk maps that compare neighborhood risk levels.
Innumeracy Is Widespread And Unequal
- About a third of working-age U.S. adults perform at the lowest numeracy proficiency level.
- Lower numeracy correlates with age, lower income, minority status, and lower education.