iss 305
appeal to questionable authorities
appeal to questionable authorities, experts are more likely to be right than non-experts
false empirical statement
approaches 0
true empirical statement
approaches 1
assertion derived
argument
Brigham and bothwell
asked to estimate the percentage of accurate eyewitness identification
metaphysical statement
asserts something that cannot be observed by our senses
fallacies of relevance
attack the person
composition fallacy
what is true of parts is true of the whole
hawthorne
when they knew they were being observed they changed their actions
structure they take looks fine
why do we fall for fallacies
Skeptic
will not change their view no matter what
24%
""I have 25 pages can I use it to make copies"
24% complied
"I have 25 copies can I use the copy machine?"
93% complied
"I have 5 pages may I use it because I have to make copies?"
42% complied
"can I use the copy machine for 25 copies I am in a rush?"
94% complied
"excuse me I have 5 copies and I am in a rush?"
science does not require
-math and stats -use elaborate and complicated lab equipment -large or useful bodies of knowledge -findings that agree with our common sense -findings which disagree with common sense
straw man
A fallacy that occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea.
if I feel it it must be true
If some assertion/event/person makes us feel good, then it must be true/safe/trusted.
anecdotal evidence
Personal stories about specific incidents and experiences.
negativity effect
Skeptic
easier to create
Skeptics rather than skeptics
Consequence-Intentionality Fallacy
The effect does not prove an intent to produce that effect
loaded question
You asked a question that had a presumption built into it so that it couldn't be answered without appearing guilty.
self-fulfilling prophecy
a belief that leads to its own fulfillment
ad hominem
a fallacy that attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute
construct
a hypothetical factor that is not observed directly; its existence is inferred from certain behaviors and assumed to follow from certain circumstances
Empirical Statement
a statement based on observation, experiment, or experience
operational definition
a statement of the procedures used to define research variables
contradiction
a statement that is false by definition
invalid deductive reasoning
affirming the consequent or denying the antecedent
genetic fallacy
an alternative motive or ulterior motive so they must not be telling the truth
Hasty Generalization
basis of evidence of particular cases one draws more general conclusion
wells, Lindsay and Ferguson
calculator stolen and eyewitnesses were asked to identify who stole them
deductive arguments
conclusion is specific and evidence is more general
consequent
conclusion that may be false
abuse of ideas
could be stealing ideas presented or had bias on the counterintuitive opinion of this
converse to bandwagon
counterintuitive so it must be wrong
operational definition
definition of how one attaches experience to words
valid deductive arguments
does not guarantee true conclusion
False Dichotomy
either A or B is true A is not true therefore B is true
objectivity
evaluate the evidence/take out the bias
publicness
expects results will replicate
attitude statements
express speakers feeling or what they think but hold no empirical meaning
fallacy
fails to provide good reasons
cannon
fundamental principle that is more or less accepted as truth but is basically accepted on faith
poisoning the well
give false information about your opponent to make your side look better
shelly taylor
happy and healthier if shielded from the truth
false cause
if a is associated with b then a causes b
affirming the antecedence
if statement
guarantees conclusion deductive argumetns
if valid and premise is true
appeal to fear
if you do not accept A to be true then something bad will happen to you
begging the question
in any case you end up right where you started
more
is negative information weighed more heavily or less
paradox
jumble of words that defy comprehension because its saying nothing
falsification
line between science and non-science
empiricism
making systematic observations
determinism
meanings have systematic causes are not random and can be predicated
Irrelevant Thesis
misleads or distracts in an effort to lead people to false conclusion
fundamental attribution error
not paying attention to the situation and too much internal factors
bandwagon
most people take course of action so it must be true
past practice fallacy
must be true because people have always done it and believed it
nominal fallacy
naming something doesn't explain it
opposite of genetic fallacy
no argument is found argument must be true
controlled/systematic observations
not all observations are equally relevant to an empirical statement or question
tautology
not real arguments
two wrongs make a right
proving ones own wrong positions correct by finding fault in an opposing position
Step 2 of self fulfilling prophecy
perceived behavior toward the target
Step 1 of self fulfilling prophecy
perceives evidence
parsimony
picking between what's good and what's not
assertion
point of view or opinion
argument
point of view supported by reasons the view is good
appeal to authority
potential bias against certain authors or institutions
uncertainty with empiricism
potential bias that come into play
Converse of Ad Hominem
praise the person
invalid
premise more specific than conclusion
skeptic
question everything and doubt
huristics
quickly looking for evidence, make decision right now
generalizability
real world application
60% complied
request 1: "I only have 5 pages may I use the copy machine?"
uncertainty
result of a scientific evaluation of an empirical statement is never certain
stanovich
science should reveal the truth
confirmation bias
search out evidence that confirms bias
dogma
set of principles laid down by authority figures that are absolutely true
equivocation
using a simple work or phrase with several meanings as If it only had one meaning or changing meanings halfway through
argh and shalv
shower study-relation between hot showers and loneliness
peer review process
slow process that does not equal broad statements in scientific community
Candide
someone who believes anything
Brian w from Cornell
studies retracted because a lot of his studies rely on common sense
Langer, Blank, & Chanowitz
study saying people rely on heuristics when they hear questions
Step 3 of self fulfilling prophecy
target haves toward the perceiver
Rosenthal and Jacobson
teachers were told some students were bloomers and those students ended up doing better in the class than the non bloomers
hindsight bias
tendency to overestimate how predictable something is after one learns it has occurred
testability
the ability to realistically test your theory with available measures
appeal to ignorance
the absence of evidence is taken as evidence
Occum's Razor
the fewer the assumptions an explanation relies on, the better the explanation
reification error
treating an abstract concept as if it were concrete or physical entity
analytic statment
true or false by definition and says something about the meaning of the word
value statements
use judgment words like good, bad, nice, cheap, ugly, hopeless used to judge
weasel words
used to suggest a positive meaning without actually really making any guarantee