https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9 Created by Sophia Madden, working individually en-us 2023-01-12 19:16:58 UTC 2023-02-08 02:58:50 UTC hello@padlet.com sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442761727 Definition:
Appeal to Authority is a red flag that uses or imitates authority figures to manipulate someone into trusting what they say in order to sell their product/service. It creates a sense of security to see someone in a position that has more knowledge on the subject, which is why doctors or scientists are commonly depicted in many health & wellness advertisements.

Connection:
This particular advertisement uses the Appeal to Authority red flag by getting a dentist to state how well the product works. In the advertisement, he states that he "recommends it" because he has seen it work. He also uses very definitive wording when talking about the product, such as "only Colgate..." which gives the viewer the understanding that no other product provides this, when in actuality, the dentist in the video has likely not tried every brand of toothpaste. The dentist shown in the advertisement also claims that the toothpaste reduced plaque by up to 98% and gingivitis by 88%. While these facts may be true, the depiction of a dentist on screen makes a stronger argument than if it was stated by a "regular" person. 

 ]]> 2023-01-12 19:25:31 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442761727 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442762999 Definition:
The use of Mystical Energy in pseudosciences involves supporting claims by describing that products contain beneficial "energies" that have no scientific foundation. It creates an aura of mystery and magic around what they are trying to sell/advertise/promote to make it more enticing to the viewer.

Connection:
This video demonstrates the Mystical Energy red flag by implying that the mineral stones in the video provide different spiritual and emotional benefits to your everyday life. A lot of the stones in the video are claimed to provide "good energies" or "healing energies". The creator of this video talks about these energies helping you in certain areas of your life and therefore improving your quality of life at home or at work. The critical thinking process should be used when analyzing these types of claims. It is important to ask yourself if there is any credible evidence supporting the claims before believing them to be true. While crystals themselves and believing in their energies may be physically harmless, they are often sold as a gimmick to make money, and many times, this involves people being sold inauthentic and fake products for far more than what they are worth.


]]> 2023-01-12 19:26:29 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442762999 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442765735 Definition:
Ancient Wisdom is a red flag tactic that supports pseudosciences by convincing viewers that using ancient methods, knowledge, or products is better than using current ones. The tactic suggests that if it worked for ancient civilizations, it must be better and safer for us, which is not always scientifically supported.

Connection:
Cupping uses the Ancient Wisdom red flag because it has been around for many centuries to "assist the body with self-healing". The article begins by validating the procedure because it has been used by by many different cultures throughout history, which gives the reader a sense of security in the methods. It leads them to believe that because so many cultures used the method and it has been used for many years, it must work. It is important to show skepticism when learning about this procedure because some methods are more invasive than others. Personally, I would want to research the history of the procedure to see how it was used in the passed and what modifications they have done to ensure patient safety. I would also ensure that I was not relying on history to be the only factor in making a decision. It would be very important to see current research on the method that supports the claims made in this article. ]]> 2023-01-12 19:28:18 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442765735 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442766223 Definition:
The All Natural red flag is a common tactic used to sell products for health and beauty. Companies will use this tactic to claim that their product has all natural ingredients that are safer and healthier for your body than synthetic, while also giving you the same, or better results. This red flag is similar to Ancient Wisdom, where natural ingredients are not always better.

Connection:
This company, and the industry in general, is an example of the All Natural red flag. The makeup/skin care/beauty industry has been promoting the use of "all natural" skin care products, makeup, and soaps as a way to generate more sales. As people are investing more time and money into their health and wellness, this is an opportunity for companies to target their customers with products that are "healthier" and "safer" for your skin, hair, etc. For example, this company linked sells 50 mL bottles of product for $68.

This particular website states "100% PURE™ has pure and cruelty-free all natural skin care and facial products to keep your skin looking and feeling healthier than ever. Conventional products often use toxic ingredients like parabens, phthalates and skin-irritating fragrances that wreak havoc on our delicate skin, oftentimes causing more harm than good. That ends now." Not only are they condemning other companies for the use of the ingredients, they are also using key words to credit their own company more, such as "pure", "all natural", "healthier".

The All Natural red flag should be approached from a critical thinking standpoint. While having better ingredients for the health of your skin is important, you do not want to be spending an excess amount of money on a product that is not worth it. Exercise caution with companies that use the all natural gimmick to sell more product. ]]> 2023-01-12 19:28:43 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442766223 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442772011 Definition:
The Emotional Connection reason for belief is often a tactic used by psychics (or others) to manipulate a person into buying or using their product/service. They often find something that is close to your heart that they can use against you as a convincing reason, such as the death of a loved one, a past experience, or something you deeply care for. 

Connection:
This video showcases the reason for belief of Emotional Connection. This reason for belief is very commonly seen when people see mediums or psychics. This particular video shows a woman who sees a medium to see if she will connect with her brother who has passed. The medium quickly picks up on sensitive parts of her life and eventually connects with the woman's brother who has passed away, as well as her cat. The medium in the video focuses on the love that she feels from the woman's brother and strives to make that emotional connection with the woman. People can feel a lot of comfort from hearing that their family member/partner/friend who has passed on is still with them, and this is what mediums target in their clients. As soon as that emotional connection is made, clients become vulnerable, and may seek that comfort more often as a result, which, as we discussed in the course content, can lead to people spending thousands of dollars to see mediums and try to connect with their loved ones. 

]]> 2023-01-12 19:33:31 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442772011 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442772544 Definition:
Oftentimes, when it comes to having a belief or faith in something one cannot see, it is because it is unexplained. The Unexplained reason for belief comes from creating an explanation for something that we cannot prove/disprove or do not seek out the evidence to do so. This is often used by illusionists as a tactic to "woo" people into their magic tricks.

Connection:
This video demonstrates the Unexplained reason for belief. The video documents sightings of mysterious flashing lights and objects in the sky that cannot be explained by the people looking into them. They have looked towards aircraft as a possible explanation, but have found no evidence that this theory is correct, as there were no documented aircraft with that flight path. Those looking into the phenomenon don't know if it is naturally occurring (by way of magnetic fields from minerals reacting with sulfur in the area) or man made, and some believe that it could be signs of extraterrestrial activity. At the time of this video, there is no concrete evidence for why this phenomenon happens, leading to people believing in other theories on the basis that it cannot be explained by traditional methods.

]]> 2023-01-12 19:33:43 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442772544 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442772894 Definition:
The reason for belief of Agenticity comes from creating a meaning for otherwise invisible or non-existent objects or beings. It is often linked with the reason for belief "Patternicity", where the mind creates patterns in places that you would not suspect any to be. Agenticity involves giving meanings to these patterns, where there is no underlying meaning.

Connection:
This video demonstrates the reason for belief of Agenticity. The owner of the bar in this video, along with patrons and the electrician who worked there at the time, all believe that it is being haunted by a ghost - the ghost of the founding owner. Their reason for believing this stems from experiencing instances at the bar where objects move on their own, doors swing, and umbrellas open. The electrician claimed that this happened to him one day while working, and the only other person in the building was nowhere near where the incident occurred. Looking back on security camera footage, there are also instances caught on tape of moving objects with seemingly nobody around. The lack of an explanation for these instances leads them to believe that it can only be caused by something that is not physical in this world. They are associating these instances with a spirit who does not have aggressive intent, but wants to make it's presence known, hence, they think it is the former owner who might not be so happy with changes around the bar. This goes hand in hand with patternicity, as they notice that these are not one-off instances and occur frequently and only ever seek to cause wonder, not harm.

]]> 2023-01-12 19:33:59 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442772894 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442773199 I chose this interview with medium Laura Lynn Jackson who meets with a client to connect with her brother who has passed on.

Define Problem:
Can mediums connect and speak with the dead?

Gather Information:
This article and video were published on goop, which is a website, newsletter, and online shop created by Gwenyth Paltrow. The interview is a Q&A with Jackson, where she describes her experience with readings and how she communicates beyond the living.

Evaluate Evidence:
The website itself is not a reliable source for information if looking into the legitimacy of the claim. The article only analyzes the medium's experience with her readings and focuses on what she claims to experience. There is no referral to her successful readings, or proof that the methods she uses are real, it is purely based on her word.

Recognize Assumptions, Emotions, Biases:
Jackson talks about readings as being very spiritual and tuning into your intuitive and psychic abilities. She believes that everyone has these abilities to some extent and those who can communicate with the dead have stronger abilities. Laura also feels a lot of love toward this subject matter, which influences the way that she sees it. She states she is filled with love when she reads people, which provides her with many good feelings. She has an emotional connection to being a medium.

Synthesize Evidence, Identify Alternatives:
The evidence for the legitimacy of the claim is solely coming from Laura's personal experience, and does not analyze any of the results from her readings in the past, it only explores the reading done in the video. She does not talk about her "misses" and only focuses on the "hits". There is no scientific evidence of the legitimacy of mediums an whether or not they can speak with the dead. An explanation for how she is able to "read" her clients would be the law of large numbers. The probability that she would get a few things correct in her readings by listening to her client and analyzing her responses and emotions is high.

Select Best Alternative:
I would say that the best alternative to psychic powers is that some people are very good at reading others' emotions and connecting with how they are feeling. They are able to use this skill to make connections while talking to their clients and form predictions or guesses about the person's life and experiences. They can also use very general language and gradually get more specific, to the point that the client is giving them the answers without realizing it.

For example, someone's facial expressions may slightly change when the psychic states that they sense someone who might have passed recently, which can give them an indication that they have a "hit". They can then further explore with "a family member or a close friend", which is common for almost all deaths as we are most affected by the passing of family members and close friends. At this point, the client being read might say "yes, my father passed away 2 years ago" to which the psychic can assume that you had a close relationship with them, as many people do, and therefore give the message that they send their love, etc. Understanding the human experience, emotion, and how to read people's indicators can give anyone the tools to be a psychic medium.


]]> 2023-01-12 19:34:15 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2442773199 sophiamadden https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2472758520 Definition:
Suppression by Authorities is often used as a manipulation tactic for you to believe in something. It is the act of pitting you against an authority figure (e.g. government, scientists, law enforcement) and giving incorrect and/or limited information about a subject to make you lose your trust in said authority figure.

Connection:
This article demonstrates the use of Suppression by Authorities in scientific research done regarding COVID-19. The writer clearly states in the first paragraph of the article that the Chinese Communist Party has not been transparent about research done on the virus, and are "trying to control the narrative around the origins of the coronavirus." This language easily influences readers into thinking that the Chinese government is hiding information from the public, thus trying to turn the reader against the political party. While some of this information may hold some truth to it (I do not personally know), it is crucial for the reader to do their own research before jumping to conclusions. Search for information on both sides of the issue and use critical thinking to come to your own conclusion. It is important to not take these claims at face value so that we are not misinformed about current world events and government authorities.

]]> 2023-02-08 02:52:12 UTC https://padlet.com/sophiamadden/789ou5qsphhhqug9/wish/2472758520