A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? If you answered 10 cents, you’re not alone most people give the same answer (the correct answer is 5 cents.)
It’s an example of how we often rely on intuitive answers we feel are true. People give answers that pop into their mind, says cognitive (认知的) scientist Steven Sloman. We don’t spend much time reflecting and checking whether the answer is right or wrong.
The bat and ball question helps explain why we often believe in fake news. It is part of human nature to believe, says Sloman. But “the trick with fake news is to know to verify” — in other words, to stop and question what you know.
In one experiment, Sloman and a colleague invented a discovery called helium rain. They told a group of volunteers about it, but admitted they could not fully explain what it was. They then asked the volunteers to rate their own understanding of helium rain. Most volunteers rated themselves 1 out of 7, meaning they did not understand the concept. The researchers then told another group of volunteers about the discovery. This time, they said that scientists could fully explain how it works. When asked to rate their understanding, the volunteers gave an average answer of 2. The scientists’ confidence gave the volunteers an increased sense of their own understanding. According to Sloman, studies show that knowledge spreads like a contagion.
Another explanation for the spread of fake news is “motivated reasoning”, writes Adam Waytz, a management professor at the Kellogg School. We are naturally more likely to believe things that confirm our existing opinions.
So, in a world where misleading information is common, is there a way to protect ourselves? “Though it’s impossible to verify everything that people encounter, training people to care about fact-checking is important, especially in online communities.” says Sloman, “Develop an atmosphere where we should check things and not just take them at face value. Verify it before you believe.”
【小题1】The author uses the example of the bat and ball question to show that .| A．people often forget skills that they learned at school |
| B．there is often more than one possible answer to a question |
| C．many people give quick responses without thinking carefully |
| D．it is easy to make mistakes when doing math questions |
| A．To make sure something is true. | B．To think about something for long. |
| C．To express an opinion about something. | D．To change something into a different one. |
| A．some of the volunteers explained it to them |
| B．Sloman and his colleagues showed them how it works |
| C．they feel more confident about their own ability |
| D．they believed that scientists fully understood it |
| A．Helium Rain: A Great Discovery | B．Stop, Question, and Check |
| C．Social Media and How to Use It | D．Fake news and How to Spread It |
