A work write in theJournal of Personality and Social Psychologyhas demonstrated what many have suspected : Refusal to accept well - give scientific discipline is driven by disapproval of solution to the problems identified .
“ Logically , the proposed solution to a problem , such as an increase in government regularization or an extension of the free market , should not tempt one ’s belief in the problem . However , we find it does , ” say co - writer Troy Campbell , a PhD campaigner at Duke ' University “ The cure can be more straightaway threatening than the job . ”
Campbell place out to essay if what he call “ answer aversion ” exists . When represent with a solution involving taxation or politics regularization just 22 % of those who identified as Republicans said the world really would warm up as much asclimate scientists anticipate . But when the resolution was put in the form of new technologies promoted through the free market , 55 % of the Republicans acknowledged the scale of measurement of the job . Similar results were get for the health effects of environmental defilement .
While two thirds of the Republicans did not budge their views in reply to the solutions , almost all would have had at least some familiarity with the debate and may have had fair determine views of which solutions are likely to be implement .
Democrats were unaffected in the bailiwick above . However , they should not get too smug . When the job was shifted to violent dwelling house robbery , left - leaning individual were less likely to take on the frequency of the problem if given a result they did n’t like , such as relaxing gun laws . However , unlike with mood alteration , the variation ran both ways . Opponents of gunman control also thought the problem was more severe when they liked the root .
" realize this burden is helpful because it appropriate researcher to predict not just what problems citizenry will deny , but who will probably traverse each job , ” said co - generator Dr. Aaron Kay , an associate prof at Fuqua . “ The more forbidding a solution is to a person , the more potential that person is to refuse the trouble . ”
Kay is hopeful that presenting solution in an satisfactory manner to a particular audience will meliorate acceptance of contentious scientific grounds . How practical this is away from a research lab environment remains to be see .
The inquiry goes - handwriting - in - hand with preceding study indicating resistance to scientific evidence is based onideology , rather than lack of knowledge .
