Defending Good Science

October 1, 2003

Letting Lies go Unchecked…

Quick test: Is DDT harmful to birds? Do lawn chemicals cause cancer? Is organic food better for you?

These questions are just a small sample of some of the popularly held beliefs people have about every day life. But they all have one thing in common - they’re not true. Yet, if you go out on the street and ask your neighbours about them, many would swear up and down that they are.

After all, municipalities are banning the use of ornamental lawn spraying, grocery stores are quickly stocking and promoting organic produce and DDT is banned across North America. Why?

The answer is largely because ordinary people believe that such practices are good for the environment and the world at large. One can argue that organic food is no better than other food, or point out that scientific studies have never concluded that DDT caused egg-shell thinning, but it won’t matter… the fight has been fought, and won, by the activist groups.

Activists everywhere rely on what is called the “availability heuristic.” Very simply put, activists issue a statement of facts. Whether or not this statement is correct or not is irrelevant. It’s a fact, issued strongly, and often, in a memorable fashion. Whether it’s by draping a banner over the CN tower, or helping to publish the book “Silent Spring,” fiction is disguised as a fact.

Unfortunately, when non-involved people are asked to render an opinion, they revert back to what they have been told most often. The mere ease of quick reflection is often the mode of judgment.

Sadly, even when people are told that their assumptions are incorrect, they don’t change their judgments. It’s a tendency called ‘anchoring.’ Once an answer is decided upon, people will use this answer as a reference point. They select their own judgments only by making adjustments to this anchor. Even when they know the source to be untrustworthy, they still fall back on ‘facts’ they know. The line “tell them something often enough, and eventually they’ll believe it” is sadly true.

After all, memory is often correct…but not always. The availability of a judgment depends on the things we pay attention to. Grabbing attention repeatedly is important - because if people hear certain things more than others they instinctively bias towards them. Hence the success behind activist and advocacy groups – if people hear things often enough, they will believe them.

What’s the solution? Fight back. Communicate often, creatively and aggressively. Don’t let lies go unanswered. Make information available in a manner appropriate to your audience. Don’t rely on the mainstream media to communicate for you.

It’s a big responsibility, and often a bigger challenge. But the stakes can be pretty high when it’s your product or reputation being assassinated.

Checkmate Link of the Month

The Seven Warning Signs of Junk Science - is a great article, which can be found at (http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i21/21b02001.htm). Normally, one requires a subscription to read the articles, but this one is free. The Chronicle-Review calls itself the No. 1 news source for college and university faculty members and administrators. This article originally appeared earlier this year, but due to its limited viewing audience, it's worth promoting. It's an excellent analysis on what constitutes junk science.

Free Stuff!

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Checkmate Public Affairs specializes in ‘Defending Good Science.’ We stop activists. We manage issues. And we deliver results. Checkmate is an issues management firm dedicated to assisting corporations with science-based risk & crisis communications and issues management.

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