₦airaland Forum

Dealing With Backfire Effect in Others


Whenever I talk about the Syrian refugees, the issue of potential terrorists always comes up. This isn’t an issue of a narrative blinding their judgment, it’s what happens when you try to push a myriad of sources in someone’s face hoping they’ll see “the light.”

What happens when I present the facts that less than 10 Syrian refugees (and refugees in general) have ever been connected to or tried for terrorism? Many ignore it, opting instead to point out that any potential threat is enough to shun tens of thousands of refugees.

Despite evidence to the contrary, anti-Syrian refugee Americans will still claim the danger is real and worth keeping them out. I can send all the sources I can find to convince them, but they’ll ignore it, or at worse it’ll strengthen their views.

Dealing with backfire effects in others is always a struggle. It’s frustrating.

The unfortunate thing about the backfire effect in others is that it eventually affects you :

“When you start to pull out facts and figures, hyperlinks and quotes, you are actually making the opponent feel even surer of his position than before you started the debate. As he matches your fervor, the same thing happens in your skull. The backfire effect pushes both of you deeper into your original beliefs.”

Thonia coming to that.

Dealing With Backfire Effect in Your Life

So, are there ways to mitigate the subconscious influence of the backfire effect? There are several practices that do help with this—the easiest is to avoid relying on over-emotional stories.

Even if it’s a view you agree with (especially then!) don’t accept a story on its own.
Let’s look at welfare for example: Ronald Reagan used to tell this story about the “welfare queen” he had met. According to Reagan, this lady was scamming the welfare system. She was said to have 80 names, 30 addresses and 12 Social Security cards…and drove a Cadillac.

Now, the story was never corroborated. The welfare queen was never found. But the story was believed nonetheless. It backed up people’s views of welfare and those who took advantage of it. It routinely angered audiences. It provided them with that emotional backing.

Stories like those pervert the reality of the issue. It’s what’s called a narrative script: these are stories that backup your views and opinions. They give you permission to feel the way you do about a particular issue. They’re inherently emotional.


Regardless of the truthfulness of such stories, no issue should be judged on it.

Stories aren’t logic. They can only communicate logic (or the lack thereof). Further, when used in this manner, stories steal the character of an issue and oversimplify it, so that all discussions of that issue then revolve around that one iconic example instead.

Look at the controversy over Obama’s birth certificate. What happened when he released his birth certificate back in 2011? It didn’t shut up the birthers. They just got louder.

Don’t rely on stories as the sole basis for your beliefs, and always analyze why you’re not believing certain information. Make an effort to read opposing pieces and find information that contradicts your own.

Never assume that your views are inherently right, or your opponents are obviously wrong.

How does it Affect Your Reasoning & Logic?

The backfire effect is how conspiracy theorists can survive so long despite being inundated with facts that disprove their delusions

How can someone think the holocaust or the moon landing never happened?

All it takes is for that belief to take hold, and every contradictory piece of information becomes proof that the conspiracy is true.

The information you’d assume (hope?) would convince them their wrong ends up becoming a part of the conspiracy.

“That video is fake. It’s all created by the government to fool you.”

Moving away from conspiracy nuts, a 1992 study shows the power of the backfire effect when dealing with information that doesn’t fit our prescribed narrative:


“In 1992, Peter Ditto and David Lopez conducted a study in which subjects dipped little strips of paper into cups filled with saliva. The paper wasn’t special, but the psychologists told half the subjects the strips would turn green if he or she had a terrible pancreatic disorder and told the other half it would turn green if they were free and clear. For both groups, they said the reaction would take about 20 seconds. The people who were told the strip would turn green if they were safe tended to wait much longer to see the results, far past the time they were told it would take. When it didn’t change colors, 52 percent retested themselves. The other group, the ones for whom a green strip would be very bad news, tended to wait the 20 seconds and move on. Only 18 percent retested.”

You’re not going to convince people they’re wrong with facts alone.

It just won’t happen.

In fact, you’re more likely to strengthen their beliefs by trying to convince them their wrong.

Yep! That’s right. Challenging their beliefs with contradictory evidence will have the opposite effect of what you intended.

It’s what’s called “The Backfire Effect.” And it’s one of many reasons why facts and logic alone aren’t enough to convince someone their wrong. Throwing links,articles, and quotes at them isn’t enough.

What is the Backfire Effect?
The Backfire Effect involves how you view information when it comes to you.

Unlike confirmation bias, which deals with information you look for, the backfire effect deals with information that finds you. But both shield your beliefs against contradictory information.

When you’re presented with information that contradicts a strongly held belief, the backfire effect states that you will likely dismiss the contradictory information, subsequently strengthening your beliefs even more.

David McRaney, founder of YouAreNotSoSmart,
describes this process as a subconscious shield around your beliefs:

"Once something is added to your collection of beliefs, you protect it from harm. You do it instinctively and unconsciously when confronted with attitude-inconsistent information.”

Iseoluwani:
That was old covenant and stop been naive

lolz so you agree it is not sensible?

Lame excuse for your cherry picking. If anyone is naive here, it's obviously not me.

Iseoluwani:
How z every part not sensible Guess u are the one not reading yours


All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2TIM3:16-17


so if it z not sensible are u saying it was not inspired by God??

oh spare me that crap young man...

Please read your bible, so the part of people going into war and killing themselves is sensible? The part of taking another man's wife is sensible? See I can go on and on...

Yes! That's exactly what am saying...

jpride:
Did Jesus promote same sex thing??

Did Jesus *discriminate/hate* same sex thing??

itzMizELo:
every part of the bible is sensible

Not every part is sensible. Seems you don't read your bible very well.

Love your neighbour has yourself...Mark 12 Vs 31.

That's the best and most sensible part of the Bible which many people don't follow

Welcome back dear
Yes, I'm still here just not as active as before.

hphil:
Hi Onhisbaldness and Fearlesschicken (funny names. lol),

I am happy to hear about your involvement with IDPs, I am also a student working on plights of IDPs in Abuja. I will visit the field soon. Kindly contact me via so we can share ideas. I have sent you a PM. Thank you.

Unfortunately I can't access my email at the moment. Are you on Bbm?

Btw am through with my research on Idps, needed it for my Thesis. Please get back to me on here. Thanks!

marshalcarter:
Wooow



Na 1 pesin do all dis tins?

CHOI!!!!

The thing is one person started this but according to some new sources it seems like it wasn't just one person but like 3 others...if I can get the source will send it to you.

So sad, you won't believe that the pshyopath who did the shooting was gay himself...the irony of this world

lmao Na wa wetin I no go hear for this naija


Omo mehn someone needs to bring those people who complied the Bible back to life to get a clear meaning of what they were trying to pass across.

Hadez:
Fareless chicken

She was referring to me as hadez, am guessing she wasn't aware that there was someone with that monicker or maybe not, not sure exactly...Anyhow sha....I apologize on her behalf...

I thought I could learn something's on this thread,since am not that good with fashion. . out of a lil bit of joblessness been reading though the thread and it's quite interesting. I don't know why it has stopped.

To the picture: sweet,sweet,sweet.....but the makeup on her face though....blehhhhh...

Mrbigman1:
New adult or new homo?

Is that the bone of contention now? Please don't spread your homophobic tendencies on this thread.

Thanks

Durentt my dearest friend and funny dude

I wish you the best of today!!!!

I wish you the best life can offer!!!

hey peeps lets wish our new adult, a happy birthday!

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