Good on Paper How (Not) to Change Someone's Mind
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Sep 17, 2024 
Yamil Velez, a political scientist at Columbia University, dives into the intricate world of persuasion and fact-checking. He discusses when fact-checks succeed or backfire, revealing that rudeness is a major turn-off for changing minds. Velez shares insights from experiments with chatbots, showing that people can shift their opinions on hot topics but often cling to their beliefs when faced with incivility. The conversation navigates the ethics of research and the complexities of misinformation, blending humor with serious social issues.
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Fact-Check Backfire
- Fact-checks can backfire and strengthen incorrect beliefs, especially on charged issues.
- This backfire effect is not uniform and depends on the strength of pre-existing beliefs.
WMD Fact-Check
- A study used mock news articles about the Iraq War and WMDs to test fact-check effectiveness.
- Conservatives, when presented with a fact-check, were more likely to believe the misinformation.
Motivated Reasoning
- Motivated reasoning, where individuals process information to support existing views, isn't irrational.
- It's natural to be skeptical of information challenging a lifetime of developed beliefs.