I can't remember if posted about it at the time, but early last year there was…

Posted by on April 7, 2016 Leave a comment (1) Go to comments
I can't remember if posted about it at the time, but early last year there was a big brouhaha about a big scientific fraud. Namely, Michael J. LaCour, a grad student, faked the data for a very promising paper that supposedly showed that a short conversation with a gay canvasser could really change people's minds about gay legislation. See more about that here: http://goo.gl/JcN6cZ

Well, the scientists who figured out it was all faked did so whilst preparing their own study to look into whether this sort of "deep canvassing" worked on transgender issues.

They went ahead with their study…and it turned out even more promising than the study they debunked!

It's a rare story in science, a rare story anywhere: Where young idealists not only uncover one of the greatest frauds in recent scientific history, but then manage to validate the very idea that the fraudulent study asserted.



These scientists can prove it’s possible to reduce prejudice
Remember the gay marriage study that was faked? The theory’s been retested, and the results are very promising.


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  1. Sagnik Sarkar April 8, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    This is an interesting story, Dustin. There's one thing that struck me, though.
    The way of "deep canvassing" elucidated here sounds eerily similar to the "Behavioral Change Stairway Model", a hostage negotiation strategy used by FBI agents:
    http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/06/hostage-negotiation/
    It's brutally effective, its ultimate aim being to influence the other person and bring about behavioral change. Of course, it can be (and is) used to otherwise influence people in life, rather than just hostage negotiation.

    Reply

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