RETURN TO CRITICAL THINKING

THINKING ABOUT THINKING ABOUT GUN CONTROL

While filtering media this month, I was thinking about critical thinking and how it applies to the Boston Marathon bombing and the incorporation of terrorism into the gun control debate. An overarching theme emerged...Critical thinking must continually evolve in order to keep up with today's fluid media landscape. Bias is constant and exists in the media maker, the media audience and the media practitioner.  Bias can be covert or overt and be manifested differently in different media. This creates an opportunity for the Media Psychologist to analyze emerging media and psychological research for better critical thinking tools.

Right now, mobile media is disrupting the news media landscape by creating an immediate, first person, mostly unedited accounting of news as it unfolds.  This puts pressure on the individual and on traditional news sources by creating an unwieldy amount of information to sift through for accuracy. The staggering amount of misinformation surrounding the Boston bombings and manhunt demonstrates an opportunity for Media Psychology. The Media Psychology practice can influence a new model of curated news that is no longer organized around being the first to break, but instead is about providing an authentic guide, and reliable filter.

Bias is a constant within ourselves and within all media-makers. A blatant bias is sometimes intentional and often easy to spot. However, there is also bias embedded in culture that needs to be examined. When we apply a critical thinking practice to how the culture is acting and reacting to media events we can discover these inherent bias. For instance, what are the inherent cultural biases that elevate a terrorist event to nationwide focus, but react to the staggering accumulated loss of life to gun violence in the U.S. as matter of course? 

 Slide that links to an excellent segment on MSNBC CRIME VS TERROR

At the same time bias can be leveraged opportunistically. There are high profile agendas such as gun control and immigration reform at work that can take advantage of the emotion surrounding an incident such as the Boston Marathon bombing to further their positions. A critical thinking practice can play a role in interpreting how a widely publicized and popularly supported bill, such as the Manchin-Toomey background check amendment, can fail to pass on the Senate floor.

The news following the Boston Marathon bombing and the Senate gun control debate coincided.  I found myself following the events with a new perspective.  Simultaneously watching streaming news channels while following multiple news and eye-witness sources on my Twitter feed. I was compelled to move from source to source in order to compare and contrast the content using a critical thinking practice: who is presenting the information, what might their agenda or bias be, who are they representing, is this information verified and how can I verify it?   I was incorporating a reflection on how I was thinking and processing the information and searching for my own bias. It became clear that in the age of social mobile media the traditional journalism model falls short and our traditional critical thinking needs an update.

This top tweet says Hello CNN, Fox News, MSNBC...
your model is dead. Important stuff is happening in
Boston right now and you're all sleepin

People on the ground were tweeting live accounts and uploading visuals of the events taking place in Boston. This gave the world a more visceral first person account of what was happening. This information was immediate, but was it news? Yes. Was it journalism? For the most part, no. Problems arose as journalists appeared to be competing with the public for breaking news. Exacerbating an already tense situation, some journalists were reporting as fact a myriad of unverified stories and disregarding fact checking information in even the simplest of ways. In one instance, reputable news sources reported that police scanners had named missing student Sunil Tripathi as suspect number 2. News outlets have easy access to police scanners, but the rumor was retweeted and reported by news outlets such as CBS and Newsweek without verification. According to the Atlantic, Sunil was never mentioned on the Boston PD Scanner Recording, which could have easily been verified.   In the rush to break stories, Sunil's life was put at risk and his family was devastated. It would be even more unfortunate if this misinformation contributed to his committing suicide. News journalism needs to be held accountable to a new and different standard.

Discussion of terrorism in Boston started to surface on both sides of the gun control debate. In his book, Thinking Fast and Slow, psychologist Daniel Kahneman says terrorist events have a cascading effect that drives a media frenzy that sustains an emotional state which can “distort priorities and public resources." In a Bloomberg article, Paul Barrett points out that times of heightened anxiety over terrorism work to the advantage of the NRA agenda and he predicts that the Boston Marathon bombings will hurt gun control. He points out that the threat of terrorism was introduced into the debate with the implication that the passage of background checks would lead directly to denying “law-abiding citizens their right to protect themselves in extreme circumstances.” This aligns with Kahneman's assessment of how terrorism effects thinking, “the emotional arousal is associative, automatic and uncontrolled, and it produces an impulse for protection." On the senate floor, hours before the vote on a gun control bill, Senator Claire McCaskill's question of whether the Sandy Hook massacre and the Boston bombing can both be described as acts of terrorism with a different choice of weapons goes unanswered.

Prior to the Senate vote Claire McCaskill compares Sandy Hook to the Boston Marathon

The NRA leveraging of people's desire to protect themselves to further their position doesn't satisfy an inquiry as to why the senate would vote down a gun control measure when it was supported by a substantial majority (86%) of all Americans. I began to research the power of the NRA.  I expected to find deep pockets, but in addition I found an interesting use of media. According to 2010 tax filings reported in the Huffington Post on the gun lobby, the NRA spent $57 million dollars in 2010 in media, using media to influence the vote against senators such as Claire McCaskill who are proponents of gun control. The NRA uses their grading practice to influence the vote of their over 4 million members. In interviews with the Huffington Post, Senate staffers reported that "all the NRA had to do was to remind a lawmaker of its position and the chips fell into place." 

It would appear that the NRA is savvy  in the arena of behavioral psychology and that much can be learned by a thorough examination of their practices. Using Kahneman's Thinking Fast and Slow filters allows us a clearer understanding of how a member of an organization such as the NRA can be susceptible to influence that appeals to existing bias. In a critical assessment it is clear that while the battle for public opinion has been won, that doesn't translate to a win on the Senate floor. The pressure tactic of grading senators to influence how their NRA member body vote puts a tangible pressure on senators. Media efforts such as the Mom's Demand Action (MDA) campaign, while compelling, lack the appropriate call to action.  For gun reform to neutralize the NRA's influence, groups such as MDA must demonstrate the clout to mobilize a voter block large enough to effect the outcome of the Senate and Congress elections. Media Psychologist can play a role in deconstructing media's role in situations such as this in order to bring more clarity to the democratic process.

A critical assessment of the news events of April 2013 is a compelling exercise for the development of media practice.  There is a need for critical thinking to guide research into models that bring new relevancy and responsibility to the field of social journalism; one that helps eliminate damaging incidents such as the misidentification of Sunil Tripathi as a suspect.  I see an opportunity for Media Psychology to provide research on how new technologies can help people determine authenticity in emerging media platforms. I would like to develop a practice that helps shed light on media's role in the democratic process.  Media Psychology can play an important role in deconstructing media propaganda and developing research that enables advocacy groups to be more strategic with limited resources. As a Media Psychology student my critical thinking practice will guide me to focus on research that will help solve problems and improve outcomes for the greater good of society.

Sources 

Barrett, P. (2013, April 19) The Boston terror will benefit the NRA hurt gun control. Businessweek

     http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-04-19/the-boston-terror-will-benefit-the-nra-hurt-gun-control

Brownstein, R. (2013, April 18) Why the senate vote may signal 2016 problems for the gun lobby. NationalJournal
     http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/why-the-senate-vote-may-signal-2016-problems-for-the-gun-lobby-20130418

Hickey, W. (2013, Jan 16) How the gun industry funnels tens of millions of dollars to the NRA. Business Insider

     http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1#ixzz2RCwT4fb7

Kahneman, D. (2011) Thinking fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Little, M. (2013 April 21) When everyone is an eye-witness, what is a journalist. Storyful 
     http://blog.storyful.com/2013/04/21/when-everyone-is-an-eye-witness-what-is-a-journalist/#.UXf2jSuG2JA

Madrigal, A. (2013 April 19) It wasn’t Sunil Tripathi: The anatomy of a misinformation disaster. The Atlantic
     http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/04/it-wasnt-sunil-tripathi-the-anatomy-of-a-misinformation- 
    disaster/275155/Wardle, C. (2013) Social News Gathering, Storyful 

 McLaughlin, M. (2013, January 16) Murders, shootings and gun sales per day: An average day in the United States. Huffington Post www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/murders-shootings-and-gun-sales-per-day_n_2488664.html

Paul, R. (2007, July23) Critical thinking in every domain of knowledge and belief

     http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-in-every-domain-of-knowledge-and-belief/698

Stein, S. & Blumenthat, P. (2012, December 17) The gun lobby:Why the NRA is the baddest force in politics. Huffington

    Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/gun-lobby-nra_n_2317885.html

Wong, S. (2013, April 17) Clair McCaskill: if Boston bombings are terrorism, why not Sandy Hook? 
     http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/claire-mccaskill-terrorism-boston-marathon-sandy-hook-90213.html

Zorn, E. (2013, April 24) How a bill becomes slaw. Chicago Tribune
     http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-04-24/news/ct-oped-0424-zorn-20130424_1_gun-control-manchin-toomey-
     amendment

SEEKING BIAS AND AUTHENTICITY ON THE WEB

LOOKING FOR BIAS FIRST WITHIN OURSELVES AND THEN WITHIN THE SOURCE IS KEY

Knowing his subjects are predisposed to blame Guilder for their woes, Humperdinck schemes to murder his bride and frame Guilder in order to further his war agenda. 

Abstract

The proliferation of mobile and digital publishing tools is a double-edged sword. The emergence of new and more diverse voices creates the opportunity for a public dialog that represents a multiplicity of points-of-view.  At the same time this transfers much of the responsibility to verify the information presented from the traditional sources, such as journalists and editors, back to the individual.  The danger lies in the recipient of the information taking false claims at face value due to a lack of skill in critical thinking and determining bias. This is especially an issue if the point-of-view presented aligns with existing beliefs, as there can be a tendency to accept the information as verification of those beliefs that requires no further inquiry. 

Sir Francis Bacon paraphrased from Novum Organum (1620).
Meme was generated on quickmeme.

Treatment

Applying critical thinking skills in determining bias in materials distributed through the web is a bit like peeling an onion; each layer of inquiry can reveal more potential for bias or authenticity. The first layer is an examination of our own bias. Carl Sagan in the The Demon-Haunted World (1996) cautions us that biases can “color our interpretation of the evidence” (p.199).  He warns us that historically, commonly held beliefs within society, (whether religious, political or academic) have often proved to be “grotesquely wrong.”

Ptolemy World Map shows a flat world. Until the 1500's people
organized themselves around the belief that the world was flat.

The next layer is determining if the information is baloney. In Demon-Haunted World, Sagan coined the phrase Baloney Detection Kit (p.534) as a list of tools for inquiry into scientific discovery. On his website, Michael Shermer adapts the Baloney Detection Kit so that it can be applied to all claims. The tools are reframed and updated as questions that help to reveal bias and authenticity. Questions that get us to examine the source and help to reveal an agenda. We should ask who makes the claim and who funds the claim maker?  Michael Shermer’s Baloney Detection video is presented by The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. The stated agenda is to support scientific education, critical thinking and evidence-based understanding. Conversely, MartinLutherKing.org was masquerading as a student resource. It was a spin off of StormFront.org which claims “White Pride World Wide” as it's mission, while blaming Blacks and Jews for all the problems in the world on their homepage. Storm Front lists David Duke, a former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan as a supporter. In these two examples the agenda of the source is easily discoverable; that will not always be the case.

Assignment Universe Video of Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit

Once the source of the material and the source's agenda, as well as the agenda of their supporters is identified we can proceed with peeling back additional layers. Inquiry into the clarity and substance of the argument and the verifiable logic of the support come next. Whether we are applying critical thinking to a media piece or developing our own logic chain in support of our own argument, one of Sagan's suggestions is that “if there is a chain of argument, every argument must work.”  The argument must work, the visual and verbal facts must be verified, the evidence substantiated. 

In her article on PR Watch (2010), Ann Landman urges people to be immediately skeptical of any message that attempts to appeal to emotions first and logic second. An attempt at breakthrough with shock and awe tactics or an emotional manipulation using children or animals should be suspect.  The ad above promoting gun control uses all of these tactics. While the agenda is clear, the visual argument is flawed. This version of Little Red Riding Hood is banned (because there is a bottle of wine in her basket) in only two school districts. However, assault weapons are banned in all school districts. Disregarding the manipulation of facts here is dangerous and gives the opposing argument fuel for their own Baloney Detection kit.

Conclusion

In order to reveal bias in web information, we need to peel back the layers. First, reflecting on and recognizing our own prejudice. Then taking on the responsibility of authentication and seeking out the agenda of the source. We must look at how the facts may be literally or visually misrepresented to manipulate an emotional response. Bias and authentication must be separated from our own point-of-view in order to apply critical thinking and determine the truth.

If Carl Sagan, Lemony Snicket and Francis Bacon went into a bar they might order this
 Pub Style Bologna and Onion salad, with Bacon.

Sources

Bacon. F (1620) Novum organum: The true directions concerning the  interpretations of nature. MobileReference

Dindar, S. (2013, April 15) Shocking American gun control ads created by Canadian ad agency. Shine On
     http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/shine-on/shocking-american-gun-control-ads-created-canadian-ad-201944987.html

Landman, A. (2010, April 28). Why facts no longer matter. The Center for Media and Democracy's   PR Watch.  http://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/04/9030/why-facts-no-longer-matter

Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. Arlington,VA (n.d.) 

        http://www.richarddawkins.net/home/about

Sagan. C  (1996) Demon-haunted world: Science as a candle in the dark.
     New York: Random House

Sagan, C (2012) Assignment Universe: Carl Sagan's baloney detection kit.
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDYO7MJcnWs

Shermer, M. (2009, June) Baloney detection kit 
        http://www.michaelshermer.com/2009/06/baloney-detection-kit/

Thomson, K. (2011, January 16). White supremacist site martinlutherking.org marks 12th anniversary. 
       The Huffington Post 
        http://www.huffingtonpost.com/keith-thomson/white-supremacist-site-ma_b_809755.html

Wikipedia David Duke (n.d.) Retrieved April 18 from

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Duke