1 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,960 Hi, I'm Diane Groussell and I'm also known as Silver 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:12,080 Disobedience and I want to thank you for joining me today and say 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:18,480 welcome because in this podcast I am going to talk about what so 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,880 a topic that I believe might actually ultimately become my 5 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:28,960 most important podcast ever. Today I'll be discussing one of 6 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,320 my favorite things to observe and study. 7 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:39,800 It's called the Phenomenon of Continued Influence Effect or 8 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:47,200 CIE Continued Influence Effect is where misinformation or 9 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:52,320 misleading information continues to influence people's beliefs 10 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:57,480 and judgments even after the information has been corrected 11 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:03,200 or debunked. CIE Continued influence effect 12 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:08,040 highlights the lingering impact of false or inaccurate 13 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,640 information on individuals thoughts and subsequent decision 14 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:17,280 making processes. And let me tell you, I think 15 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:23,080 societally the impact of continued influence effect has 16 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,280 been accelerating exponentially. And I don't think this is a good 17 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,640 thing. Research shows that when we 18 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,000 encounter information, it can create a lasting impression, 19 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,840 especially if it's associated with fear. 20 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,360 More so, even after being presented with corrective 21 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:50,000 information, the initial misinformation can still shape 22 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:56,560 our perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes for a long time unless 23 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:01,200 we choose to challenge them. This occurs due to factors like 24 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:07,080 cognitive biases, memory distortions, fears, or the 25 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,480 influence of prior knowledge and preconceived notions. 26 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:18,520 Essentially, even when people are aware that new evidence has 27 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:24,480 been presented by very credible resources that verifies prior 28 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:32,480 information as true, false or misleading, people still resist 29 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:39,240 even just considering the new information, so they stay stuck 30 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:43,680 and influenced by the original misinformation. 31 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,880 And that's a serious thing. Continued influence effect. 32 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:54,720 CIE has significant implications in areas such as public opinion, 33 00:02:55,600 --> 00:03:01,960 health, science, politics, and the spread of misinformation, 34 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,240 particularly on the Internet. In this digital age, it 35 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,280 underscores the importance of challenging questioning and 36 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:15,160 correcting false information effectively and highlights the 37 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,360 need for all of us to constantly apply our critical thinking 38 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:24,200 skills. Being aware of the impact of 39 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:31,880 continued influence effect can really affect our decision 40 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,640 making. Overall, a way to look at 41 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,880 continued influence effect is like the childhood game of 42 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,800 telephone. Remember we lined up and the 43 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,720 teacher or a friend gave us an original message, a sentence to 44 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:54,760 repeat, and as that message got passed along from ear to ear 45 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,960 quietly with whispers, it gets distorted and twisted as it's 46 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:04,080 passed. By the end, it's almost not even 47 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:09,440 recognizable. So the next time you hear news, 48 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:16,200 let's Fact Check it via multiple sources from all perspectives 49 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,560 before you pass it on. And it's important that those 50 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,960 different perspectives and sources include even those you 51 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,600 can't even stomach the thought of reading. 52 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:33,520 But why you want to do this is because you are a smart person 53 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,320 who does not want to be adversely impacted. 54 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,000 You know, by continued influence effect. 55 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:44,240 You don't want to succumb to the ignorance it causes. 56 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:48,920 And you want to learn to be a critical thinker because you 57 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,520 never know when continued influence effect might rear its 58 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:59,520 ugly head. So how do we develop critical 59 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,960 thinking skills to to counter this phenomenon of continued 60 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:08,560 influence effect so we can make more informed judgments and 61 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,680 choices? Well, here are some strategies 62 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,480 to enhance your critical thinking. 63 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,120 Number one, start with questioning your assumptions. 64 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,560 Encourage skepticism. Examine the underlying 65 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,560 assumptions of the information that's presented to you. 66 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,440 Ask yourself, why do I believe something? 67 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:35,320 Why do I believe this? And I ask whether there really 68 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:39,840 is good information to support it from, again, multiple 69 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:43,800 sources, including those you might agree or disagree with. 70 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,040 Which brings me to two seek diverse perspectives. 71 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:53,120 Expose yourself to a variety of viewpoints and opinions, even 72 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,200 those that may challenge your beliefs. 73 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,040 This can help you evaluate information from different 74 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,320 angles and help you to consider alternative explanations. 75 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:10,680 Three, verify information, Fact Check the information you 76 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,320 encounter using reliable sources. 77 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,200 Now, I'm going to be the first one to tell you reliable sources 78 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:18,960 these days. Well, they're tricky to find. 79 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,920 You really have to look for evidence, corroborating sources 80 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:28,560 and expert opinions to support or debunk claims, and it's going 81 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,600 to require time and effort. It can't just be, you know, you 82 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,600 listen to whatever the first person says. 83 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,920 There was a great line that Colon General Colin Powell said 84 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,400 one time. That said, the news is never as 85 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:44,520 good or as bad as the first report. 86 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:48,240 You have got to do your homework 4. 87 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,440 Evaluate the source, assess the credibility and expertise of the 88 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,440 sources that are providing you with information. 89 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,680 Consider the factors such as their qualification, their 90 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,800 reputation, and very important, there are potential biases and 91 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,520 conflicts of interest. Right about now, pretty much all 92 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,480 the news we're getting on most outlets is supported by 93 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,200 advertisers. It's always been the case, but 94 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,160 it's the case now more than ever. 95 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:25,640 We're in a 24/7 365 news cycle and all of these outlets need 96 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,880 advertisers to keep their programming on the air. 97 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:33,000 That's how program is paid for by advertisers or contributors. 98 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,280 But right now most of it that you're seeing is advertisers. 99 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:41,880 So those advertisers may have a particular bias that they want 100 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,960 to keep pushing forward. It's up to you to figure that 101 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:46,160 out. I'm not going to tell you what 102 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,560 to think. I am just telling you to think 103 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:55,480 #5 consider biases and emotions. You want to be aware of your own 104 00:07:55,480 --> 00:08:00,240 biases and emotional responses because these may influence your 105 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,360 judgment. You have to ask yourself to try 106 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,280 to approach information objectively and critically, 107 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,400 considering the evidence rather than personal preferences or 108 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,480 emotions or what you really just want to hope to believe. 109 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:21,120 Number six, you have to develop information literacy skills. 110 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,640 This means enhancing your ability to evaluate and 111 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:30,920 interpret different kinds of information, such as statistics, 112 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,360 scientific studies, and news articles. 113 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,520 Let's talk about statistics for a second. 114 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,880 A very famous ad campaign. No need to mention. 115 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,760 The advertiser says 4 out of five dentists recommend X. 116 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:53,040 OK, now what you don't know from that statistic is was the 117 00:08:53,040 --> 00:09:03,600 inventor of XA parent who sent four of his or her children to 118 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:09,440 dental school. Therefore, four of his children 119 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,720 recommend the product that he's promoting. 120 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:15,680 So that could be one possibility. 121 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,080 And this is just. I'm just OP lining on 122 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,000 possibilities here for you to consider because you don't have 123 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,080 to be a mathematical genius to understand statistics, but you 124 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,720 want to question them. Another could be. 125 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:33,440 Well, we were doing a poll and when we got to five people, one 126 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,640 disagreed, 4 agreed. So let's just stop it right 127 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,120 here. So four out of five did agree. 128 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,560 There's different ways statistics can be skewed and 129 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:44,800 trust me, I know this first hand. 130 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,840 I've worked in science for 30 something years. 131 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,600 Scientific studies. You also have to consider who's 132 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:59,080 behind the study. If I tell you that watching my 133 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:03,720 scientific studies say that you will be, you know, smarter, 134 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:08,160 better, cooler by always listening to the Silver 135 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:13,360 Dispedians podcast by Diane Groussel, well, I could have 136 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,640 done a study on that. But it doesn't mean I actually 137 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:21,440 didn't have a bias in the results in the questions I asked 138 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,280 the people who were participating in the study. 139 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:25,720 So you want to keep this in mind. 140 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,600 So you need to learn to distinguish between reliable 141 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:35,520 sources and those that may be unreliable or biased. 7. 142 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:41,480 You need to reflect on your own thinking regularly, reflect on 143 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,800 your own thinking processes, and be open to reviewing your 144 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,960 beliefs when presented with new evidence or alternative 145 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:54,520 viewpoints. Cultivate intellectual humility. 146 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:56,360 Who? It is not easy. 147 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:59,880 I am not going to tell you it is easy to be intellectually 148 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:04,280 humble. But there is a benefit in being 149 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,760 willing to change your mind when you've been presented with a 150 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,960 really good argument that's based on sound facts that are 151 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:14,760 supported from credible resources. 152 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,560 Engage in thoughtful discussions. 153 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:23,320 Engaging in respectful, evidence based discussions with others 154 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:25,880 can help you to refine your own thinking. 155 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:29,400 They can also expose you to different perspectives. 156 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:35,400 Constructive debates, which I will say are extremely rare 157 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,520 these days. Constructive debates are not 158 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,320 emotional, they are not based on how someone feels, they are 159 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,240 based on facts, and they challenge assumptions and they 160 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,120 improve critical thinking skills. 161 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:54,200 So I encourage debate in the truest form, which is sticking 162 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,120 to the facts, to support your argument 9. 163 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,760 Stay informed about your cognitive biases. 164 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:07,320 Familiarize yourself with common cognitive biases that can impact 165 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:12,560 your decision making, such as confirmation bias, which is, oh 166 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,400 I believe this, and so does John. 167 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,400 Therefore we're right. Availability bias, where you are 168 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:22,640 only searching the immediate available information and not 169 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:26,880 digging any further. Anchoring bias, which is I feel 170 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,640 this and that's it. You know, this is anchored in 171 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,120 me, OK? Being aware of these biases can 172 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,680 help you mitigate their influence on your thinking. 173 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:42,040 By consistently applying these strategies, all of us can 174 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:44,560 develop our critical thinking skills. 175 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:50,520 We can become more discerning consumers of information and 176 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,720 better resist continued influence effect. 177 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,800 Now, if we wanted to take this step further, if you want to 178 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:04,840 learn how and really understand how and why you, we each hold on 179 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,720 dearly and tightly to certain conscious and maybe even 180 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,880 unconscious perceptions. There are exercises that you can 181 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,560 try. You can practice reflection on 182 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:20,880 your own thinking process, and this is a valuable process for 183 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,520 developing greater self-awareness and improving 184 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:29,040 your critical thinking skills. So here's some strategies that 185 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:33,440 you can use to practice reflection 1. 186 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:40,120 Journaling, Journaling, doodling, scribbling, anything. 187 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,040 If you can, set aside some time to write down your thoughts and 188 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:51,480 beliefs and your opinions in a notebook someplace that no one 189 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,480 ever has to see. This is your personal space, but 190 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,080 writing down your thoughts, beliefs and opinions on various 191 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:05,200 topics and reflecting and considering why you hold certain 192 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:10,360 beliefs and what evidence supports them and whether there 193 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,000 are any biases or assumptions influencing your thinking. 194 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:19,680 Just free form thinking two that would lead you into questioning 195 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:24,560 challenging your own assumptions and beliefs by asking yourself 196 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:29,760 probing questions. So for example, ask why do I 197 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:34,560 hold this particular belief? What evidence or reasoning is 198 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,960 supporting it? Are there alternative 199 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:44,920 perspectives, or maybe evidence that I could be overlooking #3? 200 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,080 Risk taking? A really good self-assessment? 201 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,480 Evaluate your own thinking processes. 202 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:59,240 Try to identify any cognitive biases or logical fallacies that 203 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,480 might be influencing your judgments. 204 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:07,200 Reflect on moments when you've fallen victim to these biases 205 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:13,400 and consider how might I approach some similar situations 206 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:19,000 differently in the future? 4 Seek feedback. 207 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,840 Discuss your thoughts and ideas with others, others who might 208 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:28,600 have different perspectives or people you respect because 209 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,600 they're critical thinkers. Ask for their feedback and 210 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,400 insights. Expect to be challenged. 211 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,520 Hope you're challenged. This can help you gain new 212 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,920 insights. Discover your blind spots, and 213 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:49,160 challenge your own thinking #5. Learn from your mistakes. 214 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:54,600 When you realize that you've made a thinking error or held an 215 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:59,040 incorrect belief, that is a growth moment. 216 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:04,200 Take the opportunity to reflect on why it happened. 217 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,800 What did you learn from this? Use these critical experiences 218 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:15,520 as priceless lessons because they each help you refine your 219 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:23,160 critical thinking skills. Sips engage in metacognition. 220 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:28,160 Now that's a big word, but really it's an interesting it's 221 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:32,920 an interesting word and process. Metacognition refers to thinking 222 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:38,160 about thinking during and after engaging with new information or 223 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:43,320 making decisions, pause and reflect on the mental processes 224 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,880 you use to come to those decisions. 225 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,360 Consider how you arrived at your conclusion, what evidence or 226 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:56,040 reasoning you relied on, and whether there were any biases or 227 00:16:56,040 --> 00:17:02,160 shortcuts that may have influenced your thinking. 7 This 228 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:06,319 is one of my favorite. I like to engage in hypnosis, 229 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:11,280 mindfulness, and meditation. Practicing hypnosis, 230 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:16,240 mindfulness, or meditation in a variety of ways can really help 231 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,680 you develop self-awareness and the ability to observe your 232 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,599 thoughts without judgement. This can createspace for 233 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:28,440 reflection and help you recognize patterns or biases in 234 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:34,240 your thinking. So remember that reflection 235 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:37,760 questioning. It's an ongoing process. 236 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,520 It takes time and it takes practice to develop the skills 237 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:48,560 necessary to notice and question and correct the phenomenon of 238 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,960 continued influence, effect or CIE. 239 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,240 But by intentionally setting it, setting aside time for 240 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,800 reflection, and applying critical thinking skills to your 241 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:05,760 own thoughts and beliefs, you can become more self aware and 242 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,000 improve your ability to think critically. 243 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,240 I'm Diane Grisel and I'm also known as Silver Dispenings. 244 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,160 If you like this podcast, I would ask you to please 245 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,840 subscribe. And if you notice I'm not 246 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,160 telling, I will never tell you what to think. 247 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:27,720 My only request is that you try to think that you do think. 248 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,520 Don't believe everything you hear, including me. 249 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,040 Thank thanks a lot for joining me. 250 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:36,040 Hit subscribe.