Tag Archives: theories

Replacing misconceptions and myths

I just finished reading an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education about why incorrect or inaccurate ideas and information persist even in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence. The story is Why Lies Often Stick Better Than Truth.”

The educational research literature on misconceptions has clearly shown that learning can be significantly impacted by contrary pre-existing beliefs and conceptions.  What is really great about this article is that it provide a link to the Debunking Handbook, which has some excellent suggestions that faculty should find interesting.  It’s a quick and very useful read!

Cook, J., Lewandowsky, S. (2011), The Debunking Handbook. St. Lucia, Australia: University of Queensland.