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Lukić P, Žeželj I. Delineating between scientism and science enthusiasm: Challenges in measuring scientism and the development of novel scale. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:568-586. [PMID: 38160396 DOI: 10.1177/09636625231217900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Scientism proposes science to be an all-powerful human enterprise, able to answer not only all practical but also philosophical or moral questions. We are taking a psychological approach to scientism, studying uncritical trust in science and uncritical trust in scientists as a part of a unique attitudinal tendency. Our novel measure assesses both kinds of trust through short Thurstone scales allowing us to establish a clear threshold for endorsing scientism, thus effectively delineating it from science enthusiasm, which previous instruments were unable to do. We built and refined a novel scale through five stages in which we consulted relevant literature, experts, and laypeople. We demonstrated that uncritical trust in science and scientists are interrelated, yet distinct constructs. As expected, these two subscales positively correlated with dogmatism, scientific knowledge, and overclaiming, but not with knowledge overestimation. The results suggest the new instrument is reliable, valid, and suitable for the lay public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petar Lukić
- Laboratory for Research of Individual Differences, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Iris Žeželj
- Laboratory for Research of Individual Differences, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia
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Trierweiler EJ, Pashak TJ, Bradley SM. Yes, It's that Common and Yes, It's that Bad: An Estimation of the Prevalence and Psychological Correlates of Rape and Sexual Assault in College Women. Psychol Rep 2024; 127:1201-1213. [PMID: 36317938 DOI: 10.1177/00332941221137232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rape myths play a role in rape denialism, in which individuals deny the prevalence and severity of sexual assault. This project aimed to address two common rape myths: that rape is uncommon and its effects are exaggerated. To test these claims, we explored two archival samples consisting of undergraduate women. Study 1, a 5-year chart review of university counseling center intake forms (n = 883), demonstrated that 30.2% of clients had experienced "sexual violence," "sexual contact without consent," or both. Study 2, a re-analysis of an emerging adulthood resilience survey dataset (n = 359), demonstrated that 20.6% of subjects had a history of sexual assault, and that those women reported lower life satisfaction and more severe psychological symptoms than those who did not. These findings are in line with previous literature debunking harmful rape myths that contribute to the perpetuation of rape culture. Our data help validate these rape notions as mythical; rape is indeed common and devastating.
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Magarini FM, Pinelli M, Sinisi A, Ferrari S, De Fazio GL, Galeazzi GM. Irrational Beliefs about COVID-19: A Scoping Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:9839. [PMID: 34639241 PMCID: PMC8508358 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18199839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Since the emergence of the recent Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) and its spread as a pandemic, there has been a parallel spread of false and misleading information, known as an infodemic. The COVID-19 infodemic has induced distrust in scientific communities, governments, institutions and the population, and a confidence crisis that has led to harmful health behaviours, also impacting on mental health. The aim of this study is to provide a scoping review of the scientific literature about COVID-19-related misinformation and conspiracy theories, focusing on the construction of a conceptual framework which is useful for the interpretation of the conspiracy theory phenomenon surrounding COVID-19, and its consequences. Particular socio-environmental conditions (i.e., low educational level, younger age), psychological processes and attitudes (such as low levels of epistemic trust, the avoidance of uncertainty, extraversion, collective narcissism, and a conspiracy-prone mindset), and contextual factors (e.g., high levels of self-perceived risk and anxiety) seem to underpin the adherence to beliefs that are not solely the domain of paranoids and extremists but a widespread phenomenon that has caused important health, social and political consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Maria Magarini
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, School of Specialization in Psychiatry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (F.M.M.); (M.P.); (A.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Margherita Pinelli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, School of Specialization in Psychiatry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (F.M.M.); (M.P.); (A.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Arianna Sinisi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, School of Specialization in Psychiatry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (F.M.M.); (M.P.); (A.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Silvia Ferrari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, School of Specialization in Psychiatry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (F.M.M.); (M.P.); (A.S.); (S.F.)
- Section of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Largo del Pozzo 7, 41124 Modena, Italy
| | | | - Gian Maria Galeazzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, School of Specialization in Psychiatry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (F.M.M.); (M.P.); (A.S.); (S.F.)
- Section of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Largo del Pozzo 7, 41124 Modena, Italy
- Dipartimento di Salute Mentale e Dipendenze Patologiche, USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
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Pierre JM. Mistrust and misinformation: A two-component, socio-epistemic model of belief in conspiracy theories. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although conspiracy theories are endorsed by about half the population and occasionally turn out to be true, they are more typically false beliefs that, by definition, have a paranoid theme. Consequently, psychological research to date has focused on determining whether there are traits that account for belief in conspiracy theories (BCT) within a deficit model. Alternatively, a two-component, socio-epistemic model of BCT is proposed that seeks to account for the ubiquity of conspiracy theories, their variance along a continuum, and the inconsistency of research findings likening them to psychopathology. Within this model, epistemic mistrust is the core component underlying conspiracist ideation that manifests as the rejection of authoritative information, focuses the specificity of conspiracy theory beliefs, and can sometimes be understood as a sociocultural response to breaches of trust, inequities of power, and existing racial prejudices. Once voices of authority are negated due to mistrust, the resulting epistemic vacuum can send individuals “down the rabbit hole” looking for answers where they are vulnerable to the biased processing of information and misinformation within an increasingly “post-truth” world. The two-component, socio-epistemic model of BCT argues for mitigation strategies that address both mistrust and misinformation processing, with interventions for individuals, institutions of authority, and society as a whole.
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Hendriks F, Kienhues D, Bromme R. Replication crisis = trust crisis? The effect of successful vs failed replications on laypeople's trust in researchers and research. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:270-288. [PMID: 32036741 DOI: 10.1177/0963662520902383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In methodological and practical debates about replications in science, it is (often implicitly) assumed that replications will affect public trust in science. In this preregistered experiment (N = 484), we varied (a) whether a replication attempt was successful or not and (b) whether the replication was authored by the same, or another lab. Results showed that ratings of study credibility (e.g. evidence strength, ηP2 = .15) and researcher trustworthiness (e.g. expertise, ηP2 = .15) were rated higher upon learning of replication success, and lower in case of replication failure. The replication's author did not make a meaningful difference. Prior beliefs acted as covariate for ratings of credibility, but not trustworthiness, while epistemic beliefs regarding the certainty of knowledge were a covariate to both. Hence, laypeople seem to notice that successfully replicated results entail higher epistemic significance, while possibly not taking into account that replications should be conducted by other labs.
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Hodges BH. Resisting knowledge, realizing values, and reasoning in complex contexts: Ecological reflections. THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/0959354319852423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this article I explore the social, pragmatic, ecological contexts within which reasoning occurs, and without which it cannot function properly. A diverse set of perspectives are used to guide this exploration: (a) pragmatic critiques of studies showing failures to reason logically, (b) theoretical claims that reasoning is fundamentally social and argumentative, (c) a values-realizing account of resistance and truthfulness in social reasoning dilemmas, and (d) arguments related to the nature of rationality and resistance to scientific claims. Implications emerging from the integration of these sources point to improved prospects for a more ecological, values-realizing approach to theory, method, and application with respect to reasoning.
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Jaiswal J. Whose Responsibility Is It to Dismantle Medical Mistrust? Future Directions for Researchers and Health Care Providers. Behav Med 2019; 45:188-196. [PMID: 31343959 PMCID: PMC7808309 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2019.1630357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Medical mistrust persists and appears to be growing. The public health literature on medical mistrust has largely focused on mistrust among Black and African American populations due to legacies of abuse and mistreatment, such as the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study. However, research is now emerging that explores mistrust among various populations and in varying contexts, and the literature now largely emphasizes the role of ongoing, present-day social and economic inequalities in shaping and sustaining mistrust, particularly among populations who experience staggering health disparities. This special issue showcased nine articles exploring medical mistrust among diverse populations, exploring a wide array of topics and spanning myriad methodologies. In addition to a rigorous systematic review of the literature, this issue covers several critical subareas of the health disparities literature, including preventative health screenings among Black men, discrimination and cultural factors among rural Latinx communities, health care satisfaction among Latina immigrant women, the complex relationship between HIV testing and "conspiracy beliefs" among Black populations, pre-exposure prophylaxis use among transgender women, the impacts of mass incarceration on HIV care, eHealth interventions to address chronic diseases among sexual minority men of color, and participatory research to engage underserved populations as co-researchers. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief summary of the nine manuscripts in this special issue and to outline some recommendations and future directions for research on medical mistrust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Jaiswal
- Department of Health Science, University of Alabama,Center for Health, Behavior and Prevention Studies, Rutgers University,Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York University,Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University
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Opoku YK, Boampong JN, Ayi I, Kwakye-Nuako G, Obiri-Yeboah D, Koranteng H, Ghartey-Kwansah G, Asare KK. Socio-Behavioral Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidiosis in HIV/AIDS Patients Visiting the HIV Referral Clinic at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Open AIDS J 2018; 12:106-116. [PMID: 30369995 PMCID: PMC6182914 DOI: 10.2174/1874613601812010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To identify the socio-behavioral risk factors associated with cryptosporidiosis among HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea symptoms visiting the HIV referral clinic at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 HIV/AIDS patients with recurrent diarrhea. Questionnaires were administered to collect social and behavioral risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium and other opportunistic protozoan parasitic infections in HIV patients. Stool samples were collected for the diagnosis of enteric protozoan pathogens using modified Ziehl-Neelsen and acid-fast staining methods. CD4+ cells counts of study subjects were obtained from patients clinical records. The data obtained were analyzed using Pearson chi-square and multivariate-adjusted statistics tool on SPSS 16 for Windows. Results: Twenty-seven (54%) of the subjects were infected with enteric protozoan pathogens. The prevalences of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora and Microsporidium infections were 46%, 32% and 16%, respectively. Cryptosporidium infection was significantly associated with drinking water (×2=13.528, p<0.001), Cyclospora was associated with the type of drinking water (×2=14.931, p<0.001) and toilet facilities used by the study subjects (×2=12.463, p<0.01), whiles Microsporidium infection was associated with hand washing behavior (×2=12.463, p<0.01). Enteric protozoans were frequently encountered among subjects with CD4+ T-cell count <200 cells/mm3. However, coinfection of Cyclospora spp & Cryptosporidium spp was not observed in CD4+ cell count <200 and >500 cells/mm3. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factor for Cryptosporidium infection among HIV/AIDS patients was the source of drinking water (pipe borne water 76.2% prevalence: sachet water 25%; OR=0.10, 95%CI: 0.03-0.39, p<0.001). Conclusion: We report the risk factor for exposure of Cryptosporidium infection among HIV/AIDS patients for the first time in Ghana. The contamination of drinking water by protozoan parasites should be a public health concern. These results provide the stepping block to understand the transmission dynamics of Cryptosporidium and other opportunistic pathogens in HIV/AIDS infected patients in Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeboah K Opoku
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Collage of Health and Allied Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.,Biopharmaceutical Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Johnson N Boampong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Collage of Health and Allied Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Irene Ayi
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Godwin Kwakye-Nuako
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Collage of Health and Allied Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Harriet Koranteng
- Jiamusi University No. 148, Xuefu Road, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China
| | - George Ghartey-Kwansah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Collage of Health and Allied Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.,Laboratory of Cell Biology, Genetics and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Kwame K Asare
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Collage of Health and Allied Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.,Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University Sakamoto 1-12-4, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.,Leading Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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Rubincam C. "It's natural to look for a source": A qualitative examination of alternative beliefs about HIV and AIDS in Cape Town, South Africa. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2017; 26:369-384. [PMID: 26502897 DOI: 10.1177/0963662515611823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
This article highlights how African men and women in South Africa account for the plausibility of alternative beliefs about the origins of HIV and the existence of a cure. This study draws on the notion of a "street-level epistemology of trust"-knowledge generated by individuals through their everyday observations and experiences-to account for individuals' trust or mistrust of official claims versus alternative explanations about HIV and AIDS. Focus group respondents describe how past experiences, combined with observations about the power of scientific developments and perceptions of disjunctures in information, fuel their uncertainty and skepticism about official claims. HIV prevention campaigns may be strengthened by drawing on experiential aspects of HIV and AIDS to lend credibility to scientific claims, while recognizing that some doubts about the trustworthiness of scientific evidence are a form of skeptical engagement rather than of outright rejection.
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Trembath D, Paynter J, Keen D, Ecker UKH. “Attention: Myth Follows!” Facilitated Communication, Parent and Professional Attitudes towards Evidence-based Practice, and the Power of Misinformation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/17489539.2015.1103433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Bangerter A. Investigating and Rebuilding Public Trust in Preparation for the Next Pandemic. EUROPEAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2014. [DOI: 10.1027/1016-9040/a000173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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