| Topic: | Fast, slow thinking and the "hopeless" | |
| Posted by: | Paul Campbell | |
| Date/Time: | 25/11/23 10:59:00 |
| In behavioural science there are many studies that show that approximately 20% of the population will refuse to accept the answer to a tricky question even if it handed to them on a plate. Tim Harford wrote about it in the FT recently. The 20% are referred to as the hopeless. They are described thus: “Twenty per cent of people have crazy beliefs, 20 per cent of people are highly authoritarian.” And 20 per cent of people will not write down the right answer to a maths problem even when it’s handed to them on a plate, because they trust their gut more than they trust some tricksy experimenter. https://www.ft.com/content/222fed3d-b2c1-4e27-81ae-3600bc4d4647 These are the people who vote for Trump and Brexit, who believe in conspiracy theories and who will never be able to understand simple science like induced demand and the fact that the closure of popular rat runs in Grove Park does actually reduce the volume of cars using the A316 to drive through Chiswick and onto other destinations. The 20% corresopnds well to polls on LTNs as well. It's the magic number of the vocal minority opposed to measures that are proven to reduce pollution and make roads safer for walking and cycling and just a lot nicer to live in. Naturally the 20% consider themselves to be "normal" and "right thinking" and "the majority" but they are not. |