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Monday, 23 July 2012

Psychology for dummies


The Association for Psychological Science has an item on the psychology of those who doubt predictions of climate apocalypse caused by CO2. Apparently:-

Or consider global warming. More than 90 percent of climate scientists agree that the global climate is shifting, largely as a result of human activity. Scientifically, this is essentially a closed case. Yet conspiracy theorists continue to spin wild tales of government agents surreptitiously destroying thermometers and burying contradictory evidence. 

It's not easy to understand how anyone gets through peer-review with a statement such as scientifically this is a closed case. I sometimes wonder, in my more cynical moments, if psychologists just make things up because their profession allows them to. Presumably it does. Either that or guys like this are on the fringe.

6 comments:

James Higham said...

It's not easy to understand how anyone gets through peer-review with a statement such as scientifically this is a closed case.

In a nutshell, AKH.

A K Haart said...

James - yes, I can't believe something like that gets into print.

Woodsy42 said...

Psychology is the science of ageeing with one's peers.

A K Haart said...

Woodsy - it is, more so than most I think.

Cingoldby said...

Odd, as someone who thinks Global warming is a lot of nonsense, I can safely say I have never even heard, let alone believe any accusations about thermometers being destroyed.

I think the psychologists might be suffering a case of what they call 'projection'....

A K Haart said...

Cingoldby - I haven't heard of claims about thermometers being destroyed either. Projection is certainly what this guy is doing and I assume he's a little off the beaten track professionally.

At least I hope so!