FORMAÇÃO DE PROFESSORES EM TEMPOS DE DESINFORMAÇÃO: EXPLORANDO O EFEITO FORER PARA PROMOVER O LETRAMENTO CIENTÍFICO
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31692/2595-2498.v9i1.330Palavras-chave:
Efeito Barnum, Natureza da Ciência, Problema da Demarcação, PseudociênciaResumo
A disseminação rápida e massiva de dados incorretos e enganosos prejudica a tomada de decisões em diferentes contextos. As pseudociências, incluindo as pseudoterapias, alcançam as pessoas como parte desse processo de desinformação, e o fato de que as pseudociências exploram vieses cognitivos ou falhas de raciocínio é uma das razões pelas quais as pessoas são enganadas. A crença em astrologia, em números ou itens de sorte, em tarô, em leitura de mãos, em varas de adivinhação, em OVNIs, em teorias da conspiração, em fake news, por exemplo, são explicadas pela baixa compreensão das pessoas acerca dos tipos de raciocínios utilizados nas ciências e do sistema social de freios e contrapesos que tornam o conhecimento científico confiável. Para superar esse problema, há um consenso de que os cursos de formação científica, na educação básica e superior, devem promover o letramento científico, aproveitando a história, a filosofia e a sociologia das ciências para ensinar sobre aspectos da natureza da ciência (NdC). Programas educacionais de desenviesamento também contribuem para o letramento científico. Neste artigo, comunicamos o uso de uma atividade que explora o efeito Forer para ensinar sobre vieses cognitivos, o problema da demarcação, e aspectos da NdC. O achado principal desse artigo é que os professores em formação manifestam disposição em rejeitar afirmações enganosas ou falsas, mas falham quando as afirmações não são apresentadas com o rótulo de uma pseudociência conhecida. Apontamos para uma deficiência em metacognição e no entendimento do ceticismo organizado das ciências, que precisa ser desenvolvida na educação básica e superior para a formação de cidadãos capazes de diferenciar informação confiável de informações enganosas.
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