My eighth Critical Thinking about COVID video explores how anchoring is used to downplay COVID deaths. Anchoring is people’s tendency to rely on the first piece of information they learn, and make judgements in relation to it. The government uses an extreme … Continued
Since finishing the Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change book, I’ve frequently dipped into that 176-page clip-art library, reshaping the cartoons to fit the 1920 x 1080 pixel format for Powerpoint presentations. I’ve also adapted many of the cartoons for the … Continued
My sixth Critical Thinking about COVID video explores COVID testing and object permanence. Babies lack object permanence. When they can’t see something, they think it doesn’t exist. By our first birthday, we realize even when you not directly observe something, it still … Continued
Yesterday, I published a video examining the fallacy in arguing that mask wearing violates people’s freedom. Claiming we don’t have to wear masks focuses on individual rights while ignoring our responsibilities. Being a member of a free society means respecting … Continued
My fifth Critical Thinking about COVID video explores how refusing to wear a mask isn’t an expression of freedom. It violates the rights of others by putting them in unnecessary danger. And it reduces society’s options to reopen safely. Check out the full … Continued
My fourth Critical Thinking about COVID video examines the tendency towards pattern detection found in conspiracy theories. Check out the full list of Critical Thinking About COVID videos on YouTube. Thanks to Prof. Melanie Trecek-King, Dr. Lori Byron, Dr. Robert Byron, and Dr. … Continued
My third Critical Thinking about COVID video examines the false analogy fallacy, also known as a faulty analogy or weak analogy. A false analogy assumes wrongly that because two things are similar in one way, they’re also similar in some other way. … Continued
What’s more effective in countering misinformation – facts of logic? Along with Emily Vraga, Sojung Kim and Leticia Bode, we’ve just published a new study, Testing the Effectiveness of Correction Placement and Type on Instagram, which explores this question. If … Continued
My second Critical Thinking about COVID video looks at the false choice fallacy – specifically, the false choice between economic health and public health. This video series identifies rhetorical techniques and logical fallacies in COVID misinformation, neutralizing dangerous myths while … Continued
Over the past few months, I’ve been deep-diving into COVID misinformation. At this point, the typical joke I’d make is I’m doing this so you don’t have to but I don’t think any of us can avoid the sheer flood … Continued