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This effect was found in the study of how accurate students' assessment of the quality of teaching by a particular lecturer is. But, of course, this effect takes place not only in the format of an educational lecture.
Let's take a look at the experiment that led to the discovery of the Dr. Fox effect.
Specialists - candidates of medical and psychological sciences were invited to the training conference. Before them spoke a lecturer named Myron L. Fox, who has a PhD (that's why he is called a doctor). The topic of Dr. Fox's lecture was "The Application of Mathematical Game Theory in Physics Education". In fact, the role of Dr. Fox was played by a dummy actor.
On the instructions of the experimenters, he competently prepared for his lecture: he wrote out several scientific terms from scientific articles, as well as whole phrases, which he then used, completely not complying with the logic and context, worked out the image of an expert in which he would appear before the audience. Fox's speech was nonsensical, but scientific and accompanied by emotional and non-verbal markers of authority and good relations with the audience. The actor skillfully attracted the audience to himself and did not leave the image of an expert.
After the lecture, the specialists who acted as listeners were asked to rate the content and usefulness of the lecture material. As the reader has already guessed, these ratings were very high. Please note that Dr. Fox's lecture was evaluated by neither students nor ordinary people, but scientists - candidates of medical and psychological sciences.
The Dr. Fox effect explains the success of many speakers who carry scientific nonsense, but do so in a benevolent, supportive and expert manner. Many pseudoscientific lectures, videos, articles, and books are popular thanks in large part to the Dr. Fox effect.
Like a dummy actor, figures of pseudoscience snatch terms and whole phrases from scientific sources, often without even understanding their meaning and distorting the context of their use. The invention of new scientific terms also pours water into Dr. Fox's mill. Pseudoscientists generously spice up their nonsensical and contradictory statements with such terms and phrases and present them to their adepts in a benevolent and credible manner.
It is the Dr. Fox effect that allows the ears of a dead donkey to be passed off as high-value discoveries, to sell air and various pseudoscientific recipes, and to involve people in training pyramids.
We must not forget that many dangerous organizations, for example, totalitarian-destructive sects, psychocults such as Dianetics, use precisely mass lectures to involve more and more new members in their orbit. And knowing about the Dr. Fox effect allows you to understand why this method of engagement is effective.
How not to fall victim to this effect?
Write down what you are told to check later. And do not make any decisions until you have verified the information you received.
Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions. Better to be ridiculed or even removed from the audience than cheated.
Try to translate pseudo-scientific terms and constructions into simple everyday language. As Luc de Clapier the Marquis de Vauvenargue said, "Express a false thought clearly and it will refute itself."
Think about why you are going to a meeting (lecture, training), watch a video, read a book. What result do you want to get? Check if you are self-medicating. Consult with experts.
Be aware of whether you yourself decided to attend the event or whether it was imposed on you.
Let's take a look at the experiment that led to the discovery of the Dr. Fox effect.
Specialists - candidates of medical and psychological sciences were invited to the training conference. Before them spoke a lecturer named Myron L. Fox, who has a PhD (that's why he is called a doctor). The topic of Dr. Fox's lecture was "The Application of Mathematical Game Theory in Physics Education". In fact, the role of Dr. Fox was played by a dummy actor.
On the instructions of the experimenters, he competently prepared for his lecture: he wrote out several scientific terms from scientific articles, as well as whole phrases, which he then used, completely not complying with the logic and context, worked out the image of an expert in which he would appear before the audience. Fox's speech was nonsensical, but scientific and accompanied by emotional and non-verbal markers of authority and good relations with the audience. The actor skillfully attracted the audience to himself and did not leave the image of an expert.
After the lecture, the specialists who acted as listeners were asked to rate the content and usefulness of the lecture material. As the reader has already guessed, these ratings were very high. Please note that Dr. Fox's lecture was evaluated by neither students nor ordinary people, but scientists - candidates of medical and psychological sciences.
The Dr. Fox effect explains the success of many speakers who carry scientific nonsense, but do so in a benevolent, supportive and expert manner. Many pseudoscientific lectures, videos, articles, and books are popular thanks in large part to the Dr. Fox effect.
Like a dummy actor, figures of pseudoscience snatch terms and whole phrases from scientific sources, often without even understanding their meaning and distorting the context of their use. The invention of new scientific terms also pours water into Dr. Fox's mill. Pseudoscientists generously spice up their nonsensical and contradictory statements with such terms and phrases and present them to their adepts in a benevolent and credible manner.
It is the Dr. Fox effect that allows the ears of a dead donkey to be passed off as high-value discoveries, to sell air and various pseudoscientific recipes, and to involve people in training pyramids.
We must not forget that many dangerous organizations, for example, totalitarian-destructive sects, psychocults such as Dianetics, use precisely mass lectures to involve more and more new members in their orbit. And knowing about the Dr. Fox effect allows you to understand why this method of engagement is effective.
How not to fall victim to this effect?
Write down what you are told to check later. And do not make any decisions until you have verified the information you received.
Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions. Better to be ridiculed or even removed from the audience than cheated.
Try to translate pseudo-scientific terms and constructions into simple everyday language. As Luc de Clapier the Marquis de Vauvenargue said, "Express a false thought clearly and it will refute itself."
Think about why you are going to a meeting (lecture, training), watch a video, read a book. What result do you want to get? Check if you are self-medicating. Consult with experts.
Be aware of whether you yourself decided to attend the event or whether it was imposed on you.
