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How do you get people with poor critical reasoning skills to adjust their thoughts/behavior?
- Thread starter MrChance2
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This has actually been researched, and the conclusion is not good. :/
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/02/25/peds.2013-2365
"RESULTS: None of the interventions increased parental intent to vaccinate a future child. Refuting claims of an MMR/autism link successfully reduced misperceptions that vaccines cause autism but nonetheless decreased intent to vaccinate among parents who had the least favorable vaccine attitudes. In addition, images of sick children increased expressed belief in a vaccine/autism link and a dramatic narrative about an infant in danger increased self-reported belief in serious vaccine side effects."
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/02/25/peds.2013-2365
"RESULTS: None of the interventions increased parental intent to vaccinate a future child. Refuting claims of an MMR/autism link successfully reduced misperceptions that vaccines cause autism but nonetheless decreased intent to vaccinate among parents who had the least favorable vaccine attitudes. In addition, images of sick children increased expressed belief in a vaccine/autism link and a dramatic narrative about an infant in danger increased self-reported belief in serious vaccine side effects."
I have an aunt who posts stuff like that all the time. After numerous exchanges like the one you had with your friend, I finally had to block her posts from showing up on my page. I will unblock her when my tolerance for people I love being willfully ignorant increases, because she won't change. As to patients, well... yeah, I don't think peds is for me. :/
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Arguing will only make someone like that dig in their heels. If they believe health professionals are part of a global conspiracy to make people sick with vaccines, why would they believe anything from a medical student?
The sad truth is that facts don't change the minds of people who do not want to be convinced. Their emotional conviction will trump anything you say. Here's an article about some studies showing this. The best thing you can do is to not confront them, which will only strengthen their conviction, and hope they eventually come to their senses.
The sad truth is that facts don't change the minds of people who do not want to be convinced. Their emotional conviction will trump anything you say. Here's an article about some studies showing this. The best thing you can do is to not confront them, which will only strengthen their conviction, and hope they eventually come to their senses.
It's one thing to acknowledge the pros and cons of vaccinations and decide (in your opinion) that the cons are not worth the pros.
It's another to deny clear efficacies while misrepresenting the adverse effects hyperbolically.
So to answer your question OP, my idea:
dat fbook girl sux, unfriend her
It's another to deny clear efficacies while misrepresenting the adverse effects hyperbolically.
So to answer your question OP, my idea:
dat fbook girl sux, unfriend her
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What you're talking about is akin to using logic/reason to convince someone their religion is wrong. You can't.
The sad truth is that the only way the anti-vaccine movement is going to die is if a lot of children die of a vaccine preventable infection, and it gets sufficient media coverage. Like an epidemic sweeps through west LA and a ton of upper middle class kids die.
The sad truth is that the only way the anti-vaccine movement is going to die is if a lot of children die of a vaccine preventable infection, and it gets sufficient media coverage. Like an epidemic sweeps through west LA and a ton of upper middle class kids die.
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I think it's better to discuss this kind of thing in private (i.e. not on their Facebook wall) so people don't feel publicly called out. You can also acknowledge to the person that you recognize that they they are concerned about people's health and well-being and that you are too.
Ultimately, all you can do is say your piece and move on.
As a side note, I believe that much of this type of anti-western medicine belief is driven by the belief that physicians are in bed with the pharmaceutical companies. In my experience, the vast majority of physicians are really good people who would absolutely speak up if they believed that some drug was hurting people. I feel really strongly that in order for doctors to continue to be able to speak with authority on matters such as these (and have people believe what they say), they need to put distance between themselves and giant profit-driven companies.
Ultimately, all you can do is say your piece and move on.
As a side note, I believe that much of this type of anti-western medicine belief is driven by the belief that physicians are in bed with the pharmaceutical companies. In my experience, the vast majority of physicians are really good people who would absolutely speak up if they believed that some drug was hurting people. I feel really strongly that in order for doctors to continue to be able to speak with authority on matters such as these (and have people believe what they say), they need to put distance between themselves and giant profit-driven companies.
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I feel like I encounter Dr. Oz wisdom more often than I do anti-vaccinators. As long as I don't start with "You are wrong because of X, Y, and Z," I feel that I'm normally able to find some sort of middle ground between where they started and reality. Creating the illusion of shared intellectual discussion often goes a long way. Example: "Oh yes I remember reading that article talking about the harmful effects of vaccination and I felt the exact same way as you do, but if I recall correctly they ended up rescinding those conclusions because of X, Y, and Z."
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Make an attempt to understand what makes them feel that way. A lot of times your assumption about what their issue is will differ from what the actual problem is, so it doesn't hurt to ask them (such as the patient insistent on leaving AMA: "Why don't you want to stay in the hospital?"). Then address those concerns without passing judgement, as difficult as that may be when it's complete and utter nonsense.
But many times, their mind is made up, and nothing you do will change that. Just wait until you do a month of family medicine during flu season. Explaining that the flu shot does not give you the flu for the thousandth time is a special kind of agony.
But many times, their mind is made up, and nothing you do will change that. Just wait until you do a month of family medicine during flu season. Explaining that the flu shot does not give you the flu for the thousandth time is a special kind of agony.
