… Dr. [Stephan] Lewandowsky’s survey results suggested that people who rejected climate science were more likely than other respondents to reject other scientific or official findings and buy into assorted fringe theories. …
This piece of research appeared in a specialized journal in psychological science, but it did not take long to find its way onto climate skeptics’ blogs, setting off howls of derision. …
Dr. Lewandowsky and his collaborators were taken aback, but not for long. As far-fetched ideas about the survey ricocheted around the Internet, they realized that manna was falling on them from heaven. …
The result is yet another paper, just out recently. Again, the title tells the tale: “Recursive fury: Conspiracist ideation in the blogosphere in response to research on conspiracist ideation.” [cont.]
Justin Gillis, New York Times