Changing and Fortifying Beliefs

Let’s dig into that statement a little more: “Trust the science.” 

Because despite its intention to change minds, it’s become more of a rallying cry for those who already “trust the science,” who have not spent the last year and a half having their trust in scientific institutions strained, splintered, and broken. 

The polar opposite counterargument to that statement is “Don’t be a sheep.” Which, despite its intention to change minds, has become more of a rallying cry for those who already had the tendency to cast doubt on academia, the government, the media—and the science. 

In other words: nobody is convincing anybody. At least, not through pithy statements that aren’t doing much to build the sort of widespread, resilient trust in the institutions that have seen their perceived legitimacy plummet through the decades.

“Do your own research” also isn’t particularly helpful. As Ezra Klein reveals in his book, Why We’re Polarized, people who investigate controversial topics tend to just enforce their own views, rather than emerge with a more moderate stance. And when the internet gives everyone plenty of room to search for the information that validates their own viewpoint, instructing someone to “do their own research” might not have the mitigating effect intended. 

“Everybody feels they are entitled to their own set of facts,” says Howard Markel, a physician and University of Michigan medical historian, “which is absolute rubbish. There really are a set of scientific facts.”

We can’t assume that we’re immune to misinformation, and we also have to be wary of how our internalized beliefs influence new information. For example, many may have experienced cognitive dissonance when learning that the CDC now recommends a 5-day quarantine, a change from the previous 10-day period. For those who remain wary of COVID, the new waiting period might seem like a poor decision that throws caution to the wind—but the information comes from the CDC, a reputable institution. 

This causes a state of mental discomfort, and these conflicting beliefs have friction. It’s much easier to correct this misalignment by readjusting our view of the world, justifying new information with new explanations—for instance, that the CDC has been pressured by businesses to reduce the isolation period so that people can go back to work sooner—rather than accept the new information at face value.

In fact, I was inspired to write this article after experiencing a similar situation. 

I read a piece in The Atlantic pointing out flaws in the widely-cited study of mask-wearing in Arizona school districts—a study that I had previously referenced and had faith in. And though I maintain the broader position I held before I read the article, the experience made me realize that I, too, don’t have everything about this pandemic figured out.