Claims Library
Deconstruction of popular myths and fact-checking from a scientific perspective.
142 fact checks
โBarnum-Forer Effect: people tend to accept vague, general personality descriptions as highly accurate and personally tailored to themโ
Claim: The Barnum-Forer Effect: people tend to accept vague, general personality descriptions as accurate and personali...
โConfirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and recall information in a way that confirms pre-existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidenceโ
Claim: Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms pre-...
โCompatibility between people in relationships can be determined by zodiac signsโ
Claim: Compatibility between people in relationships can be determined by zodiac signs Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L...
โAlkaline diet can change blood and body pHโ
Claim: The alkaline diet can change blood and body pH Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (systematic reviews and meta-an...
โFake social proof creates an illusion of popularity and majority through fabricated reviews, activity notifications, and endorsementsโ
Claim: Fake social proof creates an illusion of popularity and majority through fake reviews, activity, and endorsement...
โFamily constellations are an effective psychotherapy method capable of resolving deep family issues and traumasโ
Claim: Family constellations are an effective psychotherapy method capable of resolving deep family problems and trauma...
โ5G technology causes or spreads COVID-19โ
Claim: 5G technology causes or spreads COVID-19 Verdict: FALSE โ scientific evidence completely refutes any causal conn...
โFamily constellation therapy is a scientifically validated psychotherapy method that effectively resolves psychological problems through family system workโ
Claim: Family constellations are a scientifically validated psychotherapy method that effectively resolves psychologica...
โEssential oils heal all diseasesโ
Claim: Essential oils heal all diseases Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ systematic reviews and clinical studies dem...
โModern artificial intelligence systems possess consciousness or are on the path to acquiring itโ
Claim: Modern artificial intelligence systems possess consciousness or are on the path to acquiring it Verdict: UNPROVE...
โNatural remedies can cure cancer without conventional medicineโ
Claim: Natural remedies can cure cancer without conventional medicine Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (high-quality s...
โNatural is always safe: herbal remedies and natural products cannot cause harmโ
Claim: Natural is always safe: herbal remedies and natural products cannot cause harm Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1...
โNeuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is an effective psychotherapy method with proven efficacyโ
Claim: Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an effective psychotherapy method with proven efficacy Verdict: MISLEADING...
โNormalization of deviance is the gradual process by which deviations from standard procedures become acceptable within an organization due to the absence of immediate negative consequencesโ
Claim: Normalization of deviance is a gradual process whereby deviations from standard procedures become acceptable in ...
โNumerology can predict the future and determine a person's character based on numbers in birth date and nameโ
Claim: Numerology can predict the future and determine a person's character based on numbers in their birth date and na...
โOptimism bias is a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate the likelihood of positive events and underestimate the likelihood of negative eventsโ
Claim: Optimism bias is a cognitive bias in which people overestimate the probability of positive events and underestim...
โPersonalized reading proves learning effectivenessโ
Claim: Personalized reading proves learning effectiveness Verdict: CONTEXT-DEPENDENT โ personalized learning effectiven...
โPlanetary aspects (angular positions of planets) influence events in people's lives and on Earthโ
Claim: Planetary aspects (angular positions of planets) influence events in people's lives and on Earth Verdict: FALSE ...
โPlan continuation bias is a cognitive bias where individuals persist with an original plan despite changing conditions and mounting evidence that the plan is no longer appropriateโ
Claim: Plan continuation bias is a cognitive bias in which a person continues to follow the original plan despite chang...
โPsychological reactance is a motivational state arising when freedom of choice is threatened, causing people to resist persuasion and do the opposite of what is requestedโ
Claim: Psychological reactance is a motivational state arising when freedom of choice is threatened, causing people to ...
โPyramid-shaped devices generate special 'pyramid energy' that can heal diseases, preserve food, and affect human physical conditionโ
Claim: Pyramid devices generate special "pyramid energy" capable of healing diseases, preserving food, and affecting hu...
โReincarnation has been scientifically provenโ
Claim: Reincarnation has been scientifically proven Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ low-quality sources, absence of...
โReligion always promotes peace and is not associated with violenceโ
Claim: Religion always promotes peace and is not connected to violence Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence Level: L2 โ Systema...
โReligion is necessary for morality and ethical behaviorโ
Claim: Religion is necessary for morality and moral behavior Verdict: FALSE โ the claim is not supported by scientific ...
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โMercury retrograde causes technical failures, communication problems, and transportation delaysโ
Claim: Mercury retrograde causes technical failures, communication problems, and transportation delays Verdict: FALSE E...
โMercury retrograde causes technology breakdowns, communication failures, and electronic malfunctionsโ
Claim: Mercury retrograde causes technology breakdowns, communication failures, and electronic malfunctions Verdict: FA...
โHindsight bias is a cognitive distortion where people, after an event has occurred, believe they could have predicted it in advance, even though they did not actually possess such predictive abilityโ
Claim: Hindsight bias is a cognitive distortion in which people, after an event has occurred, believe they could have p...
โScience disproves the existence of Godโ
Claim: Science disproves the existence of God Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L2 โ Academic sources and philosophical an...
โShinto is based on absolute moral principlesโ
Claim: Shinto is based on absolute moral principles Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L2 โ multiple authoritative sources ...
โStrawman is a logical fallacy where an opponent misrepresents or oversimplifies your position to make it easier to attackโ
Claim: Strawman is a logical fallacy in which an opponent distorts or oversimplifies your position to make it easier to...
โSurvivorship bias is a logical error where analysis focuses only on entities that passed through a selection process while ignoring those that did not, leading to distorted conclusions due to incomplete dataโ
Claim: Survivorship bias is a logical error in which analysis focuses only on objects or people who have passed through...
โTartaria was an advanced global empire with superior technology that was deliberately erased from historyโ
Claim: Tartaria was an advanced global empire with superior technologies that was deliberately erased from history Verd...
โTelekinesis (psychokinesis) is a real ability to move objects with the power of the mindโ
Claim: Telekinesis (psychokinesis) is a real ability to move objects with the power of thought Verdict: FALSE Evidence ...
โTelepathy is scientifically provenโ
Claim: Telepathy is scientifically proven Verdict: FALSE โ no scientific consensus exists that telepathy has been prove...
โThe anchoring effect is a cognitive bias where initial information (the anchor) disproportionately influences subsequent judgments and decisionsโ
Claim: The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias in which the first piece of information received (the anchor) dispropor...
โThe body needs periodic detoxification programs to remove toxins and waste productsโ
Claim: The body requires periodic detoxification programs to eliminate toxins and slag Verdict: FALSE โ scientifically ...
โThe curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias where individuals who possess certain knowledge find it difficult to imagine or understand the perspective of those who lack that knowledgeโ
Claim: The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias in which a person possessing certain knowledge cannot imagine the per...
โThe decoy effect is a cognitive bias where introducing a third, less attractive option (the decoy) systematically shifts consumer preferences between two original options, steering choice toward a target option.โ
Claim: The decoy effect is a cognitive bias in which adding a third, less attractive option (the decoy) systematically ...
โThe Dunning-Kruger Effect means that incompetent people always overestimate their abilities while experts always underestimate themselvesโ
Claim: The Dunning-Kruger effect means that incompetent people always overestimate their abilities, while experts alway...
โThe Dunning-Kruger Effect: people with low competence systematically overestimate their abilities due to metacognitive deficitโ
Claim: The Dunning-Kruger Effect describes a systematic tendency for people with low competence to overestimate their a...
โThe ELIZA effect leads to parasocial attachments to AI systems, where users project human qualities onto algorithms and develop emotional bonds with chatbotsโ
Claim: The ELIZA effect leads to the formation of parasocial attachments to AI systems, where users project human quali...
โThe full moon affects human mental health and behaviorโ
Claim: The full moon affects mental health and human behavior Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence Level: L2 โ some correlation...
โThe halo effect is a cognitive bias where a positive general impression of a person, brand, or entity influences the perception of their specific traits or characteristics, even when unrelated to the source of the initial impressionโ
Claim: The halo effect is a cognitive bias in which a general positive impression of a person, brand, or object influen...
โThe IKEA effect and NIH syndrome cause people to overvalue their own solutions and reject external ideas, leading to irrational business decisions and technical debtโ
Claim: The IKEA effect and NIH syndrome cause people to overvalue their own solutions and reject external ideas, leadin...
โThe proliferation of deepfakes and sophisticated manipulations leads to 'reality apathy' โ a state where people stop distinguishing authentic from fake contentโ
Claim: The spread of deepfakes and sophisticated manipulations leads to "reality apathy" โ a state where people stop di...
โThe Proteus Effect: the appearance and characteristics of digital avatars influence users' behavior and attitudes in virtual environmentsโ
Claim: The Proteus Effect: the appearance and characteristics of digital avatars influence user behavior and attitudes ...
โThe Scriptures are inerrant in their original manuscriptsโ
Claim: The Scriptures are inerrant in their original manuscripts Verdict: CONTEXT-DEPENDENT โ inerrancy is a specific t...
โThe Semmelweis Reflex is an automatic rejection of new ideas and evidence that contradict established beliefs, even when adequate proof is availableโ
Claim: The Semmelweis Reflex is an automatic rejection of new ideas and evidence that contradict established beliefs, e...
โThe Shroud of Turin is the authentic burial cloth of Jesus Christโ
Claim: The Shroud of Turin is the authentic burial cloth of Jesus Christ Verdict: UNPROVEN Evidence Level: L2 โ scienti...
โThe theory of evolution is false and lacks scientific evidenceโ
Claim: The theory of evolution is false and has no scientific evidence Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 (high consensu...
โEveryone has parasitesโ
Claim: Everyone has parasites Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (systematic reviews and WHO data) Key Anomaly: The clai...
โTorsion fields exist and can be used for communication and other practical applicationsโ
Claim: Torsion fields exist and can be used for communication and other practical applications Verdict: CONTEXT DEPENDE...
โTunnel vision is a cognitive bias where a person becomes excessively focused on one aspect of a situation while ignoring other important informationโ
Claim: Tunnel vision is a cognitive bias in which a person excessively focuses on one aspect of a situation, ignoring o...
โExcessive use of search engines and digital devices leads to 'digital amnesia' โ the brain's inability to retain information in long-term memoryโ
Claim: Excessive use of search engines and digital devices leads to "digital amnesia" โ the brain's inability to retain...
โUndefined terms in systematic reviews make them unscientific and unreliableโ
Claim: Undefined terms in systematic reviews make them unscientific and unreliable Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence Level: ...
โA charismatic leader is a mandatory feature of a cult or sectโ
Claim: A charismatic leader is a mandatory feature of a cult or sect Verdict: PARTIALLY TRUE Evidence Level: L2 โ moder...
โUsers develop 'algorithmic folk theories' โ informal explanations of how opaque systems work that guide their behavior and resistance strategiesโ
Claim: Users develop "folk theories" of algorithmsโinformal explanations of how opaque systems work that guide their be...
โVenus retrograde ruins love relationships and brings misfortune to personal lifeโ
Claim: Venus retrograde destroys love relationships and brings misfortune to personal life Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence...
โAvailability heuristic: people estimate the probability of events based on how easily examples come to mind, leading to systematic judgment errorsโ
Claim: Availability heuristic: people assess the probability of events by how easily examples come to mind, which leads...
โBiased search engine results can shift opinions and voting preferences of undecided voters by 20% or moreโ
Claim: Biased search engine results can shift the opinions and voting preferences of undecided voters by 20% or more Ve...
โPremature closure and Sutton's slip are cognitive biases in medical diagnosis where a physician stops the diagnostic process too early, accepting an initial diagnosis without fully verifying reasonable alternativesโ
Claim: Premature closure and Sutton's slip are cognitive biases in medical diagnosis where a physician stops the diagno...
โScience and religion are incompatibleโ
Claim: Science and religion are incompatible Verdict: CONTEXT-DEPENDENT โ compatibility depends on how "science" and "r...
โMiracles prove God's existenceโ
Claim: Miracles prove the existence of God Verdict: UNPROVEN Evidence Level: L3 โ philosophical arguments and anecdotal...
โMiracle supplements and dietary supplements can cure or prevent all diseases, including COVID-19โ
Claim: Miracle supplements and dietary supplements can cure or prevent all diseases, including COVID-19 Verdict: FALSE ...
โWu Wei (็ก็บ) in Taoism means literal inaction and passivityโ
Claim: Wu wei (็ก็บ) in Taoism means literal inaction and passivity Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence level: L2 โ multiple aca...
โAutomated systems can behave unexpectedly for operators, causing 'automation surprises' and mode confusion, leading to dangerous situationsโ
Claim: Automated systems can behave unexpectedly for the operator, causing "automation surprises" and mode confusion, l...
โSocial media algorithms create 'filter bubbles' and 'echo chambers' that isolate users from alternative viewpoints and amplify polarizationโ
Claim: Social media algorithms create "filter bubbles" and "echo chambers" that isolate users from alternative viewpoin...
โAppeal to authority is a logical fallacy where a claim is considered true simply because an authority figure stated it, without examining the evidenceโ
Claim: Appeal to authority is a logical fallacy where a statement is considered true solely because an authoritative so...
โAppeal to nature: the claim that something is good or right simply because it is 'natural', or bad because it is 'unnatural'โ
Claim: Appeal to nature is the assertion that something is good or right simply because it is "natural," or bad because...
โAstrological houses in natal charts explain and predict life eventsโ
Claim: Astrological houses in natal charts explain and predict life events Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ absence ...
โAstrology is ancient, therefore it is trueโ
Claim: Astrology is ancient, therefore it is true Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (high confidence refutation) Key An...
โAstrology can predict personality traits based on the positions of celestial bodies at the time of birthโ
Claim: Astrology can predict personality traits based on the positions of celestial bodies at the time of birth Verdict...
โAstrology helped me make a decisionโ
Claim: Astrology helped me make a decision Verdict: FALSE โ astrology lacks scientific validity for decision-making Evi...
โAstrology is scienceโ
Claim: Astrology is science Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 โ high-quality scientific sources with systematic reviews...
โAn astrologer can tell the truth about a person from their birth timeโ
Claim: An astrologer can determine the truth about a person from their birth time Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (hi...
โAd hominem attacks in scientific discussions are as effective at undermining trust in research as critiques of empirical evidenceโ
Claim: Ad hominem attacks in scientific discussions are as effective at undermining trust in research as criticism of e...
โAtlantis was a real advanced civilization that existed thousands of years agoโ
Claim: Atlantis was a real advanced civilization that existed thousands of years ago Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 ...
โAhimsa (non-violence) liberates the soul and leads to moksha (spiritual liberation)โ
Claim: Ahimsa (non-violence) liberates the soul and leads to moksha (spiritual liberation) Verdict: CONTEXT-DEPENDENT E...
โBioresonance therapy can diagnose diseases by reading electromagnetic frequencies from cells and organsโ
Claim: Bioresonance therapy can diagnose diseases by reading electromagnetic frequencies of cells and organs Verdict: F...
โTwins born at the same time have the same destinyโ
Claim: Twins born at the same time have the same destiny Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 โ direct scientific evidence...
โThe MMR vaccine causes autism in childrenโ
Claim: The MMR vaccine causes autism in children Verdict: FALSE โ based on fraudulent research that has been completely...
โVaccines cause autismโ
Claim: Vaccines cause autism Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (multiple large-scale studies, systematic reviews, conse...
โVaccines cause autism or autism spectrum disordersโ
Claim: Vaccines cause autism or autism spectrum disorders Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 โ multiple meta-analyses, s...
โIn homeopathy, higher dilutions of a remedy increase its therapeutic potencyโ
Claim: In homeopathy, the greater the dilution of a preparation, the higher its therapeutic effectiveness Verdict: FALS...
โVisceral bias is an affective error in clinical reasoning where a clinician's emotions toward a patient (positive or negative) influence diagnostic decisions and quality of careโ
Claim: Visceral bias is an affective error in clinical reasoning where a physician's emotions toward a patient (positiv...
โYou should not sign contracts or make important deals during Mercury retrogradeโ
Claim: You should not sign contracts or make important deals during Mercury retrograde Verdict: FALSE โ no scientific e...
โWater has memory and can retain information about substances previously dissolved in it even after their removalโ
Claim: Water has memory and can retain information about substances previously dissolved in it even after their removal...
โWater can retain a 'memory' of substances previously dissolved in it, even after extreme dilution to the point where no molecules of the original substance remainโ
Claim: Water is capable of retaining a "memory" of substances that were dissolved in it, even after repeated dilution t...
โYour rising sign (ascendant) determines your true personality and how others perceive youโ
Claim: The rising sign (ascendant) determines your true personality and how others perceive you Verdict: FALSE โ astrol...
โAll new religious movements (NRMs) are dangerous destructive cultsโ
Claim: All new religious movements (NRMs) are dangerous destructive cults Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L2 โ Multiple ...
โThe American moon landings of 1969โ1972 were faked in a film studio, possibly with director Stanley Kubrick's involvementโ
Claim: The American moon landings of 1969โ1972 were faked in a film studio, possibly with the participation of director...
โHyperactive Agency Detection Device (HADD) is an evolved brain mechanism that causes humans to perceive intentional agents and purposeful actions where none existโ
Claim: Hyperactive Agency Detection (HADD) is an evolutionary brain mechanism that causes people to see intentional act...
โFasting cures cancerโ
Claim: Fasting cures cancer Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ claim contradicts scientific consensus and clinical gui...
โFasting heals the body from diseasesโ
Claim: Fasting heals the body from diseases Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence level: L3 (low โ predominantly anecdotal evide...
โHomeopathy cures diseaseโ
Claim: Homeopathy cures disease Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (scientific consensus) Key Anomaly: The Russian Acade...
โHoroscopes can predict specific daily eventsโ
Claim: Horoscopes can predict specific daily events Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 โ scientific consensus refutes th...
โGroupthink is a psychological phenomenon where the desire for consensus and harmony in a group leads to suppression of critical thinking and irrational decision-makingโ
Claim: Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon in which the desire for consensus and harmony in a group leads to the s...
โDetox cleanses and diets remove toxins and waste from the bodyโ
Claim: Detox programs and cleansing diets remove toxins and waste from the body Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (high...
โDiagnostic momentum is a cognitive bias where an initial diagnosis is passed from clinician to clinician without critical re-evaluation, becoming increasingly 'sticky' and hindering identification of alternative explanations for symptomsโ
Claim: Diagnostic momentum is a cognitive bias where an initial diagnosis is passed from physician to physician without...
โRemote viewing is a scientifically proven technique that allows obtaining information about inaccessible targets through mental perceptionโ
Claim: Remote viewing is a scientifically proven technique that allows obtaining information about inaccessible objects...
โLaw of Attraction: thoughts are material, and positive thinking attracts desired events into a person's lifeโ
Claim: The Law of Attraction: thoughts are material, and positive thinking attracts desired events into a person's life...
โThe Earth is young โ only a few thousand years old, not billionsโ
Claim: The Earth is young โ only a few thousand years old, not billions Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ multiple in...
โThe Earth is flatโ
Claim: The Earth is flat Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 (scientific consensus established since antiquity) Key Anoma...
โZodiac signs can predict job fit and career successโ
Claim: Zodiac signs can predict professional aptitude and career success Verdict: FALSE Evidence: L1 โ direct refutatio...
โYour zodiac sign (sun sign) determines your personality traitsโ
Claim: Zodiac sign (sun sign) determines a person's character traits Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L1 โ multiple large...
โZodiac signs explain every conflict between peopleโ
Claim: Zodiac signs explain all conflicts between people Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ systematic reviews and emp...
โBoredom aversion is a key factor in human motivation and behaviorโ
Claim: Boredom avoidance is a key factor in human motivation and behavior Verdict: PARTIALLY TRUE Evidence Level: L2 โ ...
โAliens have visited Earth in the pastโ
Claim: Aliens visited Earth in the past Verdict: UNPROVEN Evidence Level: L3 (speculative interpretations, absence of p...
โData voids are gaps in search engine results that bad actors can exploit by filling them with disinformation and manipulative contentโ
Claim: "Data voids" are gaps in search results that malicious actors can fill with disinformation and manipulative cont...
โOutcome bias is a systematic error in evaluating the quality of a decision based on its final result, ignoring the decision-making process and the role of chanceโ
Claim: Outcome bias is a systematic error in evaluating decision quality based on its final result, ignoring the decisi...
โPrecognition (future prediction) research replicated so successfully that it triggered the replication crisis in social sciences and psychologyโ
Claim: Precognition (future prediction) research has been replicated so successfully that it triggered the replication ...
โKarma explains everything that happens in a person's lifeโ
Claim: Karma explains everything that happens in a person's life Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence Level: L3 โ mixed sources...
โThe carnivore diet (or keto diet) is a universal cure for all diseasesโ
Claim: The carnivore diet (or keto diet) is a universal cure for all diseases Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ absen...
โQuantum immortality: human consciousness cannot experience its own death because it transfers to a parallel universe where the person remains aliveโ
Claim: Quantum immortality โ the theory that human consciousness cannot experience its own death because it transitions...
โQuantum healing works and can cure diseases through energy fields and consciousnessโ
Claim: Quantum healing works and can cure diseases through energy fields and consciousness Verdict: FALSE โ the claim i...
โConfucianism worships godsโ
Claim: Confucianism worships gods Verdict: MISLEADING Evidence Level: L2 โ scientific sources with limited consensus Ke...
โThe concept of 'moral crumple zone' describes how responsibility for automated system actions is misattributed to human operators who had limited control over the system's behaviorโ
Claim: The concept of "moral crumple zone" describes how responsibility for the actions of automated systems is shifted...
โThe Quran contains scientific knowledge that was only discovered by modern science centuries later, proving its divine originโ
Claim: The Quran contains scientific knowledge that was discovered by modern science centuries later, proving its divin...
โIndigenous peoples use simple technologies and methods that are less effective than modern Western approachesโ
Claim: Indigenous peoples use simple technologies and methods that are less effective than modern Western approaches Ve...
โCryptids (Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Chupacabra, and other legendary creatures) really exist and are hidden from scienceโ
Claim: Cryptids (Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Chupacabra, and other legendary creatures) really exist and are hiding fro...
โCrystals possess healing energy and can cure diseasesโ
Claim: Crystals possess healing energy and can cure diseases Verdict: FALSE Evidence Level: L3 โ scientific consensus r...
โPeople automatically favor members of their own group and experience suspicion or hostility toward 'outsiders' (xenophobia as a manifestation of in-group instinct)โ
Claim: People automatically favor members of their own group and experience suspicion or hostility toward "outsiders" (...
โPeople in calm emotional states ('cold') systematically underestimate the influence of strong emotions and physiological drives ('hot' states) on their future decisions and behaviorโ
Claim: People in calm emotional states ("cold") systematically underestimate the influence of strong emotions and physi...
โPeople continue investing resources in failing projects due to already spent money, time, or effort, even when abandoning would be more beneficialโ
Claim: People continue investing resources in failing projects due to already spent money, time, or effort, even when a...
โPeople systematically ignore base rate statistical probabilities when evaluating events, relying instead on vivid individual detailsโ
Claim: People systematically ignore base rate statistical probabilities when evaluating events, relying instead on vivi...
โPeople systematically avoid using algorithmic recommendations even when algorithms demonstrate superior accuracy compared to human judgmentโ
Claim: People systematically avoid using algorithmic recommendations even when algorithms demonstrate superior accuracy...
โPeople systematically underestimate the time, costs, and risks of completing future tasks while overestimating their benefitsโ
Claim: People systematically underestimate the time, costs, and risks of completing future tasks while overestimating t...
โPeople systematically overvalue immediate rewards compared to delayed ones, even when future benefits are objectively larger โ this cognitive bias is called hyperbolic discountingโ
Claim: People systematically overvalue immediate rewards compared to delayed ones, even when future benefits are object...
โPeople systematically overestimate the role of personality traits and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behaviorโ
Claim: People systematically overestimate the role of personal characteristics and underestimate situational factors wh...
โPeople tend to recognize cognitive biases in others while failing to see them in themselves โ the 'bias blind spot' phenomenonโ
Claim: People tend to notice cognitive biases in others but fail to see them in themselves โ the "bias blind spot" phen...
โPeople tend to overvalue items they own, demanding more money to give them up than they would be willing to pay to acquire identical items they don't ownโ
Claim: People tend to overvalue things they own, demanding more money for them than they would be willing to pay for id...
โPeople tend to overestimate their ability to control events that are actually random or beyond their controlโ
Claim: People tend to overestimate their ability to control events that are actually random or uncontrollable Verdict: ...
โPeople tend to attribute their successes to internal factors (abilities, effort) while attributing failures to external circumstances (bad luck, others' actions)โ
Claim: People tend to attribute their successes to internal factors (abilities, efforts) and failures to external circu...
โPeople tend to pay more attention to negative information and remember it better than positive informationโ
Claim: People tend to pay more attention to negative information and remember it better than positive information Verdi...
โPeople tend to over-rely on automated systems and their recommendations, even when they are incorrect or contradictory information is availableโ
Claim: People tend to over-rely on automated systems and their recommendations, even when they are erroneous or contrad...
โFree energy machines can produce more energy than they consume, violating the laws of thermodynamicsโ
Claim: Free energy machines can produce more energy than they consume, violating the laws of thermodynamics Verdict: FA...
โMillions of people have had personal experiences with God, which proves God's existenceโ
Claim: Millions of people have had personal experiences with God, which proves God's existence Verdict: MISLEADING Evid...
โRepeated exposure to a stimulus automatically increases its attractiveness and preferenceโ
Claim: Repeated exposure to a stimulus automatically increases its attractiveness and preference Verdict: CONTEXT-DEPEN...
โPrayer heals illnessโ
Claim: Prayer heals illness Verdict: UNPROVEN โ scientific evidence is contradictory and does not allow for a definitiv...
โPrayer has proven ability to heal physical diseasesโ
Claim: Prayer has proven ability to heal physical diseases Verdict: UNPROVEN Evidence Level: L3 (conflicting data, meth...
โA natal chart can reveal trauma and extreme hardship in a person's lifeโ
Claim: A natal chart can reveal traumas and severe hardships in a person's life Verdict: FALSE Evidence level: L3 โ abs...