how bad science gets good legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media
DESCRIPTION
Canola Council of Canada Convention San Antonio, Texas February 2014TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
How bad science
gets
good legs: myths, misperceptions
and the media
Cami Ryan, B.Comm, Ph.D.Canola Council of Canada Convention
San Antonio, Texas
February, 2014
![Page 2: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
People like stories and are
storytellers…
Important part of our social fabric
We like metaphors
We like symbols
![Page 3: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Cami & canola
![Page 4: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Photos courtesy: Wilf Keller
![Page 5: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
QUESTIONRESEARCH
HYPOTHESIZE
PREPARE
EXPERIMENTCOLLECT DATA
CONCLUDE
![Page 6: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Buying Behaviour…
![Page 7: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Why go backwards when…
Rasmussen 1962
![Page 8: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Michael Specter, journalist and author
“We have never
lived in a time when
we’ve needed
science so badly…”
![Page 9: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Why do
people BELIEVE
what they
BELIEVE?
?
?
??
?
??
?
??
??
![Page 10: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
FiltersFilters
GMOs = BAD
INFORMATION
![Page 11: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Dog noses or space aliens?
HUMAN COGNITIVE HABITS
![Page 12: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Those with GMO axes to grind…
HUMAN COGNITIVE HABITS
They ‘get’ it, they leverage it
![Page 13: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Misplaced
perceptionsof who
the EXPERTS
really are…an
Agri-Intellectual
![Page 14: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
The Dunning-Kruger Effect (1999)
less knowledgeable
moreknowledgeable
Unskilled and unaware of it!
![Page 15: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Celebrity influence
![Page 16: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Those with GMO axes to grind…
Perceptions about EXPERTISE
They ‘get’ it, they leverage it
![Page 17: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Social Media ->
‘just in time’ users
72% use mobile technology (Pew
Institute 2013)
Social networks
Social media platforms
Rise of the ‘citizen journalist’ (Gant 2007)
![Page 18: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Adult use of social networking sites
and Twitter (2005 to 2013)
So
urc
e:
Pe
w In
stitu
te 2
013
![Page 19: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Social networking site use by age
group (2005-2013) (Pew Institute 2013)
So
urc
e:
Pe
w In
stitu
te 2
013
![Page 20: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
From Activism to “Clicktivism”
Political engagement has
changed
Matter of clicking a few links
‘Lazy’ Activism
Avoid ‘drastic action’
Maybe less commitment to a
cause
Small donors can now
engage
Every little bit adds up!
Sources: White, M. (2010); Sunstein 2001
![Page 21: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Those with GMO axes to grind…
SOCIAL MEDIA &
Personal NETWORKS
They ‘get’ it, they leverage it
![Page 22: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Public Perceptions of
Science
‘science-industrial complex’ & private good
(Maseele 2009)
Traditional science communication model
One-way
Top-down and driven by private interests
Paternalistic
Increase public acceptance?
Raise awareness
Educate
Enhance scientific literacy
Old models
no longer work!
Ryan, C. 2014
![Page 23: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
“An informed citizenry is necessary in the
formulation of public policy.”Jon Miller (2007)
![Page 24: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Those with GMO axes to grind…
PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE
They ‘get’ it, they leverage it
![Page 25: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Personal networks
Human cognitive
habits
Perceptionsof ExpertisePerceptions
of Science
What the…?!
INFORMATION
![Page 26: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Scientific Research
Good Poor
PEER REVIEW
NO YES YES NO
PR
Campaign
Replication
MAKES GREAT
HEADLINES!“Standing on the
Shoulder of Giants”
Media Headlines???
NOT SO MUCH…
![Page 27: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Scientific consensus:
"the judgment arrived at
by most of those concerned"
Miriam Webster Dictionary
![Page 28: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Science -> ‘silent’?
Industry -> passive?
Public sector:
Scientists have been
“…slow to move beyond traditional forms of
communication…” (Ryan
and Doerksen 2013)
No incentives/rewards
(Braxton and Del Favero
2002; Iverson et al 2003)
Industry:
Old models?
![Page 29: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
“…more than 500 activistorganizations are SPENDING
in excess of
$2.5 billion per year engaging in food-related campaigns.”
J.Byrne 2011
![Page 30: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
New COMPETITIVE landscape for
industry & knowledge producers
New set of stakeholders…
…that play by a
whole new set of market rules!
![Page 31: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
What’s the tipping point?
Will there be a tipping point?
Likely never win the hearts and minds of everyone
Understanding public perceptions of GE and GMOs:
Qualitative differences between academic studies &
media polls
Media can shape opinion
Studies -> “wildly variable results” (Lusk 2011)
Opinion on GE or GMOs depends a great deal on how you
ask the question (Hallman et al 2013)
PUBLIC OPINION
![Page 32: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Movement in the media?
GRIST’s series on Panic-free
GMOs
Daily Meal series
Fraley’s article in HuffPo
Novella’s article in Mother
Jones
![Page 33: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Some strategies?
Stories by influential others
Mark Lynas, Julee K – Sleuth4Health, Fourat Junabi
Sarah Schultz: nurse, farmer and mommy blogger
Anchor new symbols around ag and food and science
Meaningful, appeals to values
Transform facts / info ->
Meaningful, appeals to values
“sense-making” and “social representation”- Marcu et al (2014) -
![Page 34: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Lots of ‘good news’ out there…
34
Photo: J. Kamiya-Rose
![Page 35: How Bad Science gets Good Legs: myths, mis-perceptions & the media](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042614/55689ba2d8b42aaa798b5000/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
BLOG: doccamiryan.wordpress.com
@DocCamiRyan
Cami Ryan on science, tech & ag
HOW BAD SCIENCE GETS GOOD LEGS
Cami Ryan, B.Comm., Ph.D.
College of Agriculture and Bioresources
University of Saskatchewan