Sedona Chinn, a researcher who studies how people make sense of competing scientific, environmental, and health-related claims, has found that the more a person values the concept of “doing your own research” , the less likely that person is to actually do their own research.
In the episode we explore the origin of the concept, what that phrase really means, and the implications of her study on everything from politics to vaccines to conspiratorial thinking.
Disclaimer: the study this discussion was based on does not appear to literally show that increased belief in DYOR sentiment correlates with less actual research done.
The findings were:
Finding 1: Positive perceptions of “doing your own research” were associated with less trust in science institutions.
Finding 2: Positive perceptions of “doing your own research” were associated with holding more COVID-19 misperceptions.
Finding 3: Positive perceptions of “doing your own research” were not associated with concern about COVID-19.