2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
If you have friends among your friends who constantly and with special zeal repost quotes from “great people”, we have bad news for you. Scientists have researched lovers of this kind of statements and made a disappointing conclusion: they are most likely not too smart and easily amenable to suggestion.
A new study by scientists has shown that those who collect pseudo-intellectual, pretentious-sounding nonsense are not distinguished by their intelligence and ability to analyze, and, more likely, they believe in conspiracy theory, paranormal phenomena and alternative medicine.
PhD Gordon Pennycook and a team of researchers from the University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) conducted a large-scale study, the results of which were published in the paper "On the reception and detection of bulls ***". In addition to the fact that this work is interesting in itself and confirms what we all guessed about, it set a kind of record. The obscene analogue of the word "nonsense" - bulls *** - is used in it more than 200 times.
Determining what exactly we can consider nonsense is difficult, but Pennikuk really tried to do it. An example is the following statement:
While such statements may sound deep and abstruse, in reality they are just a collection of difficult words. Therefore, the word "nonsense" in the study should be understood as what it implies, but in reality does not contain any meaning, truth.
To conduct the research, Pennikuk created a website that generated "wise" sayings and "facts" from word combinations. By the way, the page is still, and if you know English, you will be able to assess the degree of your gullibility and suggestibility for yourself.
Three hundred participants began an experiment: they were asked to press the button of the phrase generator and rate the truth and profundity of the statements received on a scale from one to five. For example, the following theses were proposed:
The average assessment of the depth of the statements was 2.6 points, which fluctuates between "somewhat thoughtful" and "rather thoughtful." About 27% of the participants in the study rated the abstracts at three points or more, apparently considering them quite wise.
The second test asked the subjects to rate the profundity of the statements of the writer and adherent of alternative medicine Deepak Chopra (Deepak Chopra). For example, this:
These quotes have been supplemented by similar ones, only generated by the computer. The results turned out to be about the same as in the previous experiment: a third of the participants rated the profundity of the theses at three points or more, showing a complete inability to identify nonsense.
In the third and final part of the test, the volunteers had to separate the truth from the nonsense, assessing the truth of the facts. For verification, theses like "Babies need constant attention" and such "well-known" sayings as "Wet rain is not afraid" were presented.
The main purpose of this test was to test whether the participants took their assignment seriously or marked everything as true and thoughtful. As expected, the volunteers rated simple and understandable statements as insufficiently smart and truthful. But those that sounded more pompous received high scores.
In addition, the scientists asked the subjects about their views on life and the structure of the world. The conclusion was disappointing.
Those who easily believed "smart" quotes and could not distinguish nonsense from something worthwhile did not show outstanding mental and analytical abilities. But such people willingly believed in conspiracy theory, alternative medicine, paranormal phenomena and were adherents of one religion or another.
Due to the fact that delusional facts and quotes from “great people” are spreading with incredible speed on social networks and the Internet, the study looks not only funny, but also relevant. Perhaps this work will save someone from the trap of irrational thinking.
Recommended:
"The wise man does not have anything contrary to expectations": 5 ideas of stoicism for entrepreneurs
Since its inception, Stoicism has repeatedly become a guide to action, a source of wisdom and practical advice for millions of people
Scientists have confirmed a direct link between being overweight and premature death
In recent years, there has been an opinion that being overweight is not so bad for your health. But the most recent research questions this point of view
Scientists have proven that walking makes people more creative
It turns out that walking affects your ability to think creatively. After a walk, you get 60% more inspiration
10 wise quotes from the world's greatest villains
Serial killers, dictators, sectarians - we are used to judging them by their actions. Terrible deeds. But that doesn't mean the villains have little to learn. Most of them were intelligent and educated people, albeit very cruel. Here are 10 inspiring phrases from 10 great villains. Will you be able to abstract from their atrocities and adopt their wise thoughts?
26 wise conclusions about life from ordinary people
Do you want to know what people like you and me say about life? Do you want to tell your conclusions about life and observations? Then this article is for you