Knowledge overconfidence is associated with anti-consensus views on controversial scientific issues.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 35857847.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abo0038 and PMC identifier 9299547.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
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Abstract
Public attitudes that are in opposition to scientific consensus can be disastrous and include rejection of vaccines and opposition to climate change mitigation policies. Five studies examine the interrelationships between opposition to expert consensus on controversial scientific issues, how much people actually know about these issues, and how much they think they know. Across seven critical issues that enjoy substantial scientific consensus, as well as attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and mitigation measures like mask wearing and social distancing, results indicate that those with the highest levels of opposition have the lowest levels of objective knowledge but the highest levels of subjective knowledge. Implications for scientists, policymakers, and science communicators are discussed.