Confirmation bias study and birthers

April 28, 2011 11:11 AM

I feel like I recently read about a study on confirmation bias asking people a range of questions, one of which was an Obama birther question (as in do you hold birther beliefs), but I can't find it. The study was wanting to know perceived authority figures could influence held beliefs, and may have included questions about global warming. What am I thinking of? Can someone link to it - but mainly if it's a birther story.
posted by scunning to Science & Nature (3 answers total)

Best answer: That sounds like either this article or something cited in it: The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science.
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:00 PM on April 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Yes - that was it. No birther story in it. Man I wish someone had thought to do a birther study before the birth certificate had been released. I think I got focused by one of the stories in there about the meme that he was a Muslim.

I will leave this open just in case there is such a study.
posted by scunning at 12:11 PM on April 28, 2011

Best answer: Scientific American yesterday (links to 2009 story about bias of birthers)
posted by lukemeister at 1:14 PM on April 28, 2011