… As public debate rages about issues like immunization, Obamacare, and same-sex marriage, many people try to use science to bolster their arguments. And since it’s becoming easier to test and establish facts—whether in physics, psychology, or policy—many have wondered why bias and polarization have not been defeated. When people […] Read more »
Liberals and conservatives think about genomics in unexpected ways
… If politics doesn’t always explain why some people embrace scientific research and why others are skeptical, then what does? In an article recently published in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, we find that the answer lies not just in our views on politics […] Read more »
Partisan bias about climate change is more prevalent than you think
Why do Democrats and Republicans differ so much on the fundamental science of global warming? A key reason is the politicization of climate science. Politicization means emphasizing the inherent uncertainty of science in order to cast doubt on the existence of a scientific consensus. … Unfortunately, our new research shows […] Read more »
How Different Groups Think about Scientific Issues
… There has been considerable interest in specific demographic breakdowns of the general public’s answers to science-related questions that Pew Research covered in its recent report on science issues and the gaps between citizens and scientists’ opinions on a range of issues. Here are additional demographic breakdowns of views among […] Read more »
Ideology Often Trumps Science, Especially Among Conservatives
In recent years, two narratives have been competing to explain the often-testy relationship between science and ideology. One asserts that all political partisans tend to deny scientific findings when they threaten their world view. The other insists that conservatives are much more resistant to accepting settled science than liberals. A […] Read more »
Debunking vaccine junk science won’t change people’s minds. Here’s what will.
… I called Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth who specializes in the sometimes magical thinking people have in politics and health care. … In his political research, he has demonstrated that giving people corrective information can deepen their misperceptions — findings that dishearten any debunker. Here’s our interview […] Read more »