Basing knowledge on incorrect or insufficient information endangers real understanding and effective learning. When flawed assumptions are the first domino in our logic, every subsequent conclusion is at risk. The danger lies both in the persistence of misconceptions and in the resistance to correction—how accurate can our understanding be if we are unwilling to listen, reconsider, or admit error?
Tribalism influences learning. Because humans are social beings, we are members of various groups. We place much trust in families, social circles, authorities, and culture. Holding a belief like a membership badge and being challenged in that belief can be viewed as an attack on personal identity.
Politics often demonstrates tribalism. Politicians are masters of using broad, sweeping statements—some of which are accurate, and some are not. Some are in the correct context, and some are not. However, whether we cheer or jeer, the statement largely depends on our view of the tribe delivering the message.
Denominations, churches, and clergy can propagate misconceptions by informing the tribe in the pews. After all, the tribe believes what their authorities say.
Humans' unique ability to learn stems from a more developed outer cerebral cortex. This capacity enables deeper understanding—and exposes us to greater potential for error if learning is based on flawed information. Our species, Homo sapiens, is aptly named "the wise one," but wisdom depends on building from accurate knowledge.
Learning is about gaining knowledge. Yes, knowledge includes facts, information, and skills, but also understanding, connections, and application. The amount of information available today to each of us is overwhelming. Taking it in is one thing, but putting it into action is another. The known body of knowledge is incomprehensibly vast; not one person knows everything.
We learn through interactions, life experiences, and observations requiring communication, reasoning, problem-solving, social relations, imagination, emotions, creativity, and culture. Learning can be conscious or subtle, formal or informal. As long as we interact with others and the environment, we learn. We must be willing to continue learning in an ever-changing world.
Personal endeavors also shape our learning. For example, reading books and online sources, listening to lectures and podcasts, and watching videos all contribute. During my learning journey, a source of pride is an expert praising me for reading "the right people." Possessing knowledge stimulates wonder and mystery because that is what humans do. New knowledge leads us to more knowledge and a deeper understanding. After all, the more one knows, the more they realize how much there is to learn—therefore, how little they know.
While these activities help build our knowledge, the journey is fraught with challenges. On the road to wisdom, travelers are tested by deception, misinformation, half-truths, oversimplified generalizations, propaganda, agendas, and flat-out lies. Therefore, the quality and reliability of the information and the source may be subject to scrutiny.
Our brains are not built to recall data perfectly like a hard drive. Because the brain uses a lot of energy, mental shortcuts help save energy. Generalizations are broad statements about a topic. While synthesizing information to generalize is a critical thinking skill, generalizations lack specific details. People tend to generalize generalizations, which takes them further from the truth. Put another way, overgeneralizing generalizations leads to misconceptions and misinformation.
"Hot air rises" is a useful generalization, but asking why can reveal whether we truly understand it or hold a misconception. The phrase suggests that hot air rises on its own, when in fact denser, colder air displaces it upward.
Misconceptions and misinformation are difficult to shake because they are grounded in how one perceives the world, thinks, and interacts with others. Effective teachers and learning strategists build knowledge about misconceptions into their lessons because "just telling" may not be enough. The lesson must convince the learner because only the learner can admit they don't know or are wrong, then replace incorrect or incomplete information with correct information. This is not an easy task for the learner or the learning strategist.
Amplified by technology, visual bias and tribalism drive the spread of misinformation, misconceptions, and overgeneralization.
Our eyes process information incredibly fast. Because we heavily rely on visual information, we trust what we see more than what we hear, feel, or touch. That trust appeals to our emotions by bypassing analytical thinking, thereby affecting our judgment. Four witnesses to the same intersection crash will see things similarly, yet recount different stories.
Our eyes can also lead us to a conclusion. After seeing the sun rise in the east, then set in the west, a logical conclusion (without other evidence) is that the sun goes around the Earth. Think about developing a list of visual evidence for a flat Earth.
Some say photographs, videos, and images don't lie. However, we can create visual bias to influence observers by scaling graphs, using colors, and utilizing photographic techniques such as cropping, angles, focusing, and lens selection. The choice of images, video clips, and layout also influences observers. In today's world, Photoshopped and AI-generated images and videos are made to influence people.
I recall listening to a sermon by a conservative pastor about evolution. He strung together various generalizations and misconceptions, then took a quantum leap toward a conclusion that made sense to the tribe. On the other hand, do denominations, churches, and clergy perpetuate misconceptions and misinformation by avoiding the intersection of science and faith?
Origins, evolution, and faith are fraught with misconceptions and misinformation. They will be the focus of Part 2 of this series.
Frank Girolami is a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Loveland, Ohio and is a retired high school science teacher and a retired instructional designer. He enjoys reading about the intersection of science and faith and has made numerous presentations on the topic at his church.
