PSYCH 470 Pinker on Progress and Kahan on Risk Discussion

Prior to each class, you must post a comment or question to the course’s Learn forum. A good discussion post (i.e., marked at 2 out of 2) makes it clear that you read and thought about each article for that week and have provided a question or insight that will yield interesting discussion in class.You can focus on one of the article to write the discussion.

Pinker 2011 chapter 8

This chapter is long, but as it is comprehensive it will be the only reading for this week. (Please note that this is a change from the syllabus.)

Pinker 2011 ch 10

Rest assured this is far shorter than last week’s chapter (from the same book).

Kahan 2010

This is what I wrote in last week:

The reading of this week on our inner demons and our natural tendency for violence was particularly thought-provoking for me. The reading refutes popular assumptions by giving proof of violence’s widespread existence in our lives, ranging from early aggressiveness to vivid murderous fantasies. It brings up the significant concerns about the origins of human nature.

I’m particularly curious about the conflict between our inner tendencies and cultural conditioning. How do social norms and parenting influence how these violent urges manifest? Furthermore, given technological developments and the rise of virtual violence in video games and movies, how might these virtual experiences influence our real-world behaviour? Do they help us deal with our inner demons or, on the other hand, do they make us less sensitive to violence?I think by understanding how our inner nature and external factors, we may better understand complicated societal challenges while developing policies for a more harmonious society. 

 

This is posted by my classmates:

Hi everyone,

Within this weeks readings, I found Kahan’s (2010) study, “Who Fears the HPV Vaccine, Who Doesn’t, and Why? An Experimental Study of the Mechanisms of Cultural Cognition,” interesting. It analyzes the intricate relationship between cultural cognition and attitudes towards the HPV vaccine. This research emphasizes the impact of cultural factors in shaping public opinion and choices regarding vaccination, revealing that it’s not only a matter of scientific information but also an interplay of cultural values and identity.

Pinker’s (2011) Chapter 10, “On Angel’s Wings,” delves into the cognitive mechanisms underlying our belief systems, highlighting the ways we process and filter information. Though Pinker’s focus is broader, the concepts of how we form and reinforce our beliefs remain consistent when understanding vaccine resistance. Given those insights, How can we bridge the gap between the cultural and cognitive factors that influence vaccine acceptance and the need to promote evidence-based public health practices? and how can we determine a balance between cultural values and ensuring public health is not compromised?

To add, considering the role of cultural cognition and cognitive biases in shaping beliefs and attitudes, have you ever found your own beliefs on a health-related issue influenced by your cultural background or cognitive biases? If so, how did you become aware of these influences, and what steps did you take to critically assess and maybe change your perspective?