Scientists barely even talk about it, but there are a lot of people out there in the world who are very skeptical regarding scientific achievements. Let’s admit it: we all know at least a person who believes in conspiracy theories or who just doesn’t trust some important scientific facts. While it’s ultimately everyone’s democratic right to believe whatever they want about pretty much anything, the beliefs of skeptics might sometimes have a negative influence on society as a whole.
New research that The Conversation speaks about reveals four main reasons why some people choose to remain skeptical in the face of scientific information:
- The information has its origin in a source that’s not perceived as reliable.
- They meet other people who don’t trust science and, therefore, gather in groups.
- The information comes to contradict their beliefs.
- The way the information is delivered comes into conflict with how they perceive reality.
If you look at these reasons, it becomes a lot easier to understand why some people still reject science nowadays. These people shouldn’t be marginalized, and it’s important to understand the reasons why such individuals choose to remain skeptical.
Back in April, our publication even shared the news about Twitter not being willing to tolerate any more ads that contradict the science behind climate change.
At that time, a Twitter blog post wrote:
We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on Twitter, and that misrepresentative ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis,
We recognize that misleading information about climate change can undermine efforts to protect the planet.
While flat-earthers seem to represent more of an amusing group rather than a dangerous one, although it’s still growing even nowadays, scientists are especially concerned about the prevalence of those who deny climate change and the efficiency of vaccines.
