Evidence FINAL

fact checking

investigating an issue or idea in order to verify the facts

PolitiFact

a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others on a truth-o-meter

The Fact Checker

fact checking website with no rating system, almost entirely politics

Factcheck.org

non-profit website that provides original research on misinformation and hoaxes

from the Annenberg Public Policy Center

Rhetoric of evidence

the practice of using specific data, facts, and statistics to persuade an audience with an argument

analyzing how evidence is presented and utilized to build a case

section, presentation, and interpretation of evidence to understand its influence

inductive reasoning

logical thinking where you draw general conclusions based on specific observations or experiences

moving from particular details to broader generalizations

Asch Conformity Study

conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s

investigated how individuals conform to the opinion of a majority group even when the majority opinion is clearly incorrect

implicit bias

a person’s unconscious and often inaccurate attitude or stereotype about a group

motivated reasoning

a cognitive bias where people interpret information in a way that supports their pre-existing beliefs or desired conclusions

using reasoning to justify a conclusion they already want to reach - the priority is the preferred outcomes, not accurately evaluating information

System 1 thinking

fast thinking - automatic and intuitive

based on patterns and gut feelings

pro: fast, requires little cognitive effort

con: prone to errors and biases

System 2 thinking

slow thinking - deliberate and analytical

requires attention and mental energy

pro: allows for more accurate and rational decision making

con: requires mental effort - can lead to cognitive overload

information disorder

spread of false info both intentional and unintentional 3 types

misinformation

false without harmful intent

disinformation

false intentionally to manipulate

malinformation

true info used in a harmful way, taken out of context or leaked to cause damage

filter bubbles

personalized digital environments created by algorithms that selectively show users content based on their previous behaviors and interaction

creates echo chambers

ritual model of communication

theory that views communication as a symbolic process focused on maintaining relationships, shared meanings, and identity rather than just transmitting info

transmission model of communication

a linear model that describes communication as a one-way process in which a sender transmits a message through a channel to a receiver

focuses on the efficient delivery of info from one point to another

automated disinformation

the use of AI and algorithm to create and amplify false information at scale used for propaganda

AI spreading false info about pandemic and vaccines

backfire/boomerang effect

when presented with evidence that contradicts their existing belief, people may actually even become more convinced of their original beliefs

strengthens their stance instead of changing it

p hacking

inappropriate manipulation of data analysis to enable a favored result to be presented as statistically significant

replication crisis

a situation where many studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce when attempted by other researchers

raises concerns about validity and reliability

decisionism

the “vision of a limited number of political actors engaged in making calculated choices among clearly conceived alternatives”

assumes a unitary decision maker

no distinction between policies and decisions, so all policy problems can be discussed in the language of decision making

deductive reasoning

moves from the whole to part, general to specific

Zhima Credit aka Chinese Social Credit System

government initiative to monitor, asses, and influence behaviors through rewards and punishments based on trustworthiness

pitfall

a conceptual error into which people frequently fall because of its plausability

pre-selecting conclusions when gathering data and crafting information

taking concepts or methods out of their disciplinary context

Anchoring effect

a cognitive bias where individuals rely too heavily on the first piece of information they encounter (the “anchor”) when making decisions, even if that information is irrelevant

Allegheny family screening tool

a predictive-analytical algorithm for risk assessment support in child welfare screening

algorithm generates a second opinion on every incoming call

uses data from the county’s data warehouse

implicit association test

a psychological tool that measures the strength of associations between concepts and evaluations or stereotypes to reveal implicit biases, or subconscious attitudes, that people may hold

cognitive liberty

the right to self-determination over one’s own brain and mental experiences, including the right to think independently, access and use technologies, and be free from interference with mental privacy and freedom of thought

argument field

norms and rules of argument shift depending on context

an argument type in which the types of data used and conclusions reached are the same logical type

burden of proof

the obligation to offer reasons sufficient to overcome presumption

presumption

a predisposition to believe that a claim is correct until overwhelming evidence proves otherwise

truthiness

truth that comes from the gut, not books

the quality of preferring concepts or facts that one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true

it used to be everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts, that is not the case anymore

data information and evidence

data - raw materials “found” rather than “manufactured”

information - data refined into a more useful and reliable form

evidence - information selected from the available stock and introduced in an argument

logical dimensions of evidence

ideal argument pattern found in textbooks

psychological dimension of evidence

factors that influence attitude and belief.

this dimension makes other patterns possible - called “rhetorical”

Erik Seidel

American professional poker player

work with Maria Konnikova when she wrote the Biggest Bluff

Balance of luck and control

a complex interplay where both factors contribute to outcomes, with individuals’ perception of control and their ability to adapt to changing circumstances playing a significant role

description-experience gap

a phenomenon in experimental behavioral studies of decision ,aking

gap refers to the observed differences in people’s behavior depending on whether their decisions are made towards clearly outline and described outcomes and probabilities whether they simply experience the alternatives without having any prior knowledge of the consequences of their choices

thin-slice judgements

the ability to form rapid judgements about individuals or situations based on very brief observations and experiences

facial experssions, body language, or brief interactions

predictive algorithms

computational methods that analuze historical data to identify patterns and relationships, enabling the forecasting of future events or outcomes

Georges Perec

wrote “An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris”

a collection of observations he wrote

aimed to describe things usually unnoticed

Vesper flights

as a metaphor for shared meaning building

Braver Angels

illustrate possibility of overcoming polarization and some dimensions of implicit bias

conversational receptiveness

the degree to which an individual demonstrates willingness and openness to engaging in constructive and effective communication, particularly when discussing differing opinions, by actively listening, seeking understanding, and showing empathy

GIGO

garbage in garbage out

a computer science principle stating that the quality of the output is only as good as the quality of the input

if you feed a system with incorrect or incomplete data, the results will be unreliable or meaningless

flow

being in such deep focus and meditation that each movement your bode makes is determined by the previous movement