[ExI] Study Links Disparities in Pain Management to Racial Bias

[BillK]

On 6 April 2016 at 19:21, William Flynn Wallace wrote:
> Ignorance occurs in every IQ level.  And Med schools are the most resistant
> to change of any type of grad school.  All of you would be simply aghast at
> the superstitions I found in my Psych 101 students and my Sex class
> (unbelievable - ask if you want examples).  One study measured superstitions
> and carefully debunked every one of them during the semester.  The scores on
> the superstition test at semester's end did not change.
>
> Changing behavior and attitudes is very hard.  Especially if we don't take
> time to think - then we will pop out whatever we've believed the longest.
>

Studies have shown many times that just presenting people with facts
will rarely cause them to change previously held beliefs. It might
even strengthen the wrong belief. It's called the Backfire effect.

There are several factors involved. People don't like to be told that
they are wrong as they 'lose face' and don't want lower status. When a
belief is wrong, people need help to build a new story in their brain
to store the new facts.

This article has useful information:
<http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160323-why-are-people-so-incredibly-gullible>
Quote:
Our brains don’t let piddling little facts get in the way of a good
story, allowing lies to infect the mind with surprising ease.
By David Robson      24 March 2016
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BillK