Why people don’t do their own research
People don’t have time
With all of the day-to-day responsibilities and tasks, the last thing that people may think to do is to do their own research. But if everyone devoted 5 minutes a day to googling something they are unsure about, it can significantly help them be informed.
People overestimate how much they know
Scientifically, this is called the “Dunning-Kruger Effect”: a cognitive bias where someone overestimates their abilities or knowledge in a certain area.
People are closed-minded
Be open-minded when researching something and try to prove your beliefs wrong. If you can’t, they are most likely true.
Research can be hard to dissect and understand
It may be difficult for many to understand a long article and can get overwhelmed by all of the information online. If you have time, look up the words or phrases that you don’t understand. If you’re short on time, try using ChatGPT, which gives a quick summary of the answer and can be correct at times, but I wouldn’t use it as your #1 primary source. At the end of the day, it is a resource, but just be careful.
ON THE OTHER HAND… We are an organization that strives to give you factual and important information that can be easily understood in the eyes of many and is quick to understand. When you have a question or comment, click the big red button ‘START OUR NEXT CONVERSATION’ and send away. You will receive an email when our response is posted. Also, our short podcast episodes will be posted addressing every response, making it easier for listeners to tune in at any time.
It is easier to keep already held beliefs than to seek to change them or fact-check them
I mean, there is something called ignorance. Although not always the case. It is simply easier to comply with a more popular and less critical answer. True understanding and reasoning comes from experience, when a person lacks that experience it becomes harder to reach a common understanding. That is why community is so important, lack there of is what causes divide. Mutual understanding and respect builds confidence behind your beliefs making it easier to think critically.
People research how to prove what they already believe
This is called confirmation bias: when someone searches for, interprets, favors, and recalls information in a way that confirms or supports their prior beliefs or values. When researching, go into it with an open mind and try to prove yourself wrong. Challenging yourself to find what others are talking about. And if you end up proving yourself right, well good for you!
Information that is highly replicated or stated on many different news outlets, are more likely to be correct rather than information that has been stated only once by one person. It’s not about what news outlets you trust, or even what people you believe. It’s about what you can confidently say YOU know and trust.
Short attention spans
With social media giving out short posts and videos that are easy to understand, people’s attention spans have been getting shorter the more that social media has been growing.
We don’t want to say it’s that damn phone, but we do believe it’s that damn phone.