I believe. So do you. And that can be a problem

For the past few years, I’ve been puzzling over the issue of why – in the face of overwhelming, science-backed evidence –  many people insist on clinging to positions that would seem to be logically indefensible. This shows up in a lot of areas. Genetic engineering, nuclear power, artificial intelligence, climate change, fluoride in water. It seems with every issue has come folks that boldly stake their claims to the truth, while brushing the other side off as corporate shills or the tinfoil hat brigade.

We all believe in something, but there's nothing saying our beliefs need to be based on reality. Either way, we'll fiercely defend them.

After a fair bit of reading, rumination and research, I put together a couple of presentations examining the issues, and hopefully, putting forward a few ideas to help science communicators do our work. While the full presentation and discussion takes about an hour, in the spirit of Internet Age attentions spans and busy lives, I’ve condensed the ideas into this list.

1. Audiences are not stupid. “Dumbing it down” is condescending.
2. Smart people don’t necessarily do smart things.
3. People often don’t think or act rationally. They need to be intelligent, have good information, take the time to think, and be open-minded to be rational.
4. People base their actions on what they believe. They pick facts that reinforce these beliefs and ignore or deride everything else, something called confirmation bias.
5. People form groups or “tribes” based on shared beliefs and values. If you’re asking them to change their beliefs, you may also be asking them to leave their “tribe.”
6. People will vigorously defend their beliefs – starting with shooting the messenger.
7. If people don’t trust you, they won’t believe you. Even if you’re right.
8. A few loud people do not equal public consensus. Do the research to find out what people really think.
9. You’re not just being paranoid: there is organized, concerted opposition to science communication.
10. Pictures have power; they speak to emotions much more effectively than words do. Do you know who’s good at eliciting emotion? Artists. Let’s look at their approaches and maybe collaborate.
11. Science is hard. Anti-science is easy.
12. First impressions are powerful; they tap into the “thinking fast” process. Once a “think fast” decision has been made, it’s extremely difficult to change it.
13. Evolution has gifted us with cognitive biases that we just have to work around, such as confirmation bias, the Dunning Kruger Effect and the Curse of Knowledge.
14. Start with trust. Feelings before facts (although don’t forget facts!), and two-way, symmetrical communication.
15. Build a detailed virtual (and mental) model of your audience a.k.a. an archetype or archie. Ask, “what would Archie do?”
16. Have conversations, not lectures. The goal is not to change minds (at least, not right away), but to keep the conversation going.
17. Why bother? Bottom line: two thirds of global consumers buy products and services that align with their beliefs. Big picture: a science literate public is where we get our elected leaders; good public policy depends on their informed decisions and willingness to seek expert advice.
18. Think multi-channel. Your science messages can be carried with Plasticine in an elementary school, an article in a popular magazine, a YouTube channel, or even a CBC or Netflix series. Be creative and have fun!