LECTURE 2

Question 1

Pseudoscience

Answer 1

Claims and practices that seem scientific and evidence-based - but not actually based on true scientific method and evidence. Claims are often misleading and dangerous

Question 2

Why do people believe pseuodoscience

Answer 2

1. Barnum Effect: Tendency for people to believe the accuracy of personality descriptions supposedly tailored specifically to them, but are vague and general enough to apply to a wide range of people.
2. Placebo Effect: Tendency to experience a treatment as having a positive effect- regardless of the treatment’s objective efficacy. Therefore, when evaluating a treatment it’s inadequate to only report percent who respond positively to treatment, must show that treatment is effective beyond placebo effect.

Question 3

Example of placebo and preventing this from affecting data

Answer 3

(refer to handout)

Question 4

Potential harms of pseudoscience

Answer 4

1. Opportunity cost: Leads people away from effective treatments
2. Direct harm: Sometimes case physiological or psychological damage.