The limits of reason
Treacherous Trio: confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, and motivated reasoning
In a perfect world, one which we all wish to inhabit, humans are rational creatures. To make decisions, we rely on the best evidence from the most accurate sources, and choose the most prudent course of action. When confronted with the fact that something we previously believed was untrue, we throw our hands up and say, "I don't mind being wrong; that is how you learn stuff."
I don't think I have to tell you that we don't live in that world. I posted this image on facebook:
I can never know how many people looked at it, found it challenging, and then quickly found something else to look at. I do know that it made at least one friend disgusted, uncomfortable, and even angry. Driving him to question my education, accuse me of evangelizing science, and to ultimately abandon discussing the topic in favor of personal attacks and insults.
When a little while later the same image appeared on The Scientist and IFLS... The reactions were very similar to what I experienced. Most people expressed anger and outrage that whatever thing within the diagram they personally believed in was 100% real and anyone questioning it was stupid to do so.
So what is it about an image like this that causes such a visceral reaction? Why is it when people like Paul Ingraham, Alice Sanvito, and Ravensara Travillian bring research and accurate information to the public about massage they are met with personal attacks, insults, and outright derision?
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| Saveyourself.ca's own Venn Diagram |
The answer is cognitive dissonance. Research has shown that "the primary causal agent for misperception is not the presence or absence of correct information but a respondent’s willingness to believe particular kinds of information" and that we are "...responding to information defensively, accepting and seeking out confirming information, while ignoring, discrediting the source of, or arguing against the substance of contrary information (DiMaggio 1997; Kunda 1990; Lodge and Tabor 2000)."
There is no way to turn off this bias, and it is a very strong motivator. In evolutionary terms, it benefits our survival to feel secure in an orderly universe, and not experience doubt of our beliefs. Like pain, the uneasy feeling we get when confronted with contradictory evidence is the brain's alarm and defense system. One part of your brain is telling another part, "You better not go there, it will shake things up too much!" Also, like pain, you need slow and graded exposure over time to change an existing state. Old, deeply rooted, or cherished beliefs will not go out without a fight.
To tie this into massage, because this is a massage blog, when you hear any of the following:
Massage removes toxins -- Nope
Your pain is caused by Lactic Acid, massage removes it -- Nope and more Nope
Massage increases blood flow to the muscles -- Nope... No, but it does increase skin circulation
You need to heal your energy -- All kinds of Nope Two Three Four
I'm going to stretch your fascia -- Not likely
Always massage toward the heart -- see Laura Allen link
Don't massage pregnant women in the first trimester -- see Laura Allen link
Don't touch the ankles of pregnant women -- see Laura Allen link
Don't massage cancer patients -- Wrong
More Massage Myths By Laura Allen
3 massage myths you should stop repeating by Sarah Cafiero
Remember that these things are beliefs, not facts. You may do well to mention, delicately, that the best evidence we have shows exactly the opposite. Do not, however, expect to be greeted warmly or to change minds. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Likewise, you can lead a human to knowledge, but you can't make it think.
One last myth worth mentioning, because it has some tragic consequences.
Vaccines cause autism -- No - Nope - Still No - And we lied in the first place.
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