Assignment #1 by Aiymzhan https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc By Irina Nazarova and Aiymzhan Istayeva en-us 2022-02-13 02:49:55 UTC 2025-04-02 21:51:20 UTC hello@padlet.com Post #1: Assignment 1 aiymzhan_istayeva https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044195016 Group members: Aiymzhan Istayeva, Irina Nazarova]]> 2022-02-13 02:59:07 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044195016 Post #2 Red Flag: Ancient wisdom (Video) nazarova13131313 https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044238096 Definition:
Ancient Wisdom red flag includes the belief system that was developed by people a long time ago, with little or no support on a modern science

Connection:
The following video explores Moxibustion and acupuncture techniques, that were created in China in 2-3 century BC. The treatments of alternative medicine imply that there are about 2,000 acupuncture points in our body, and each of these is connected with a channel, and if stimulated the disease can be cured or health can be improved.

It is an ancient wisdom example since this technique was invented by the Chinese nation a long time ago, and it is based on their belief in balance in this world.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G87SfHPHj0Ahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G87SfHPHj0A 
]]> 2022-02-13 04:37:45 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044238096 Post #3 Red Flag: Ideological Support (Article) nazarova13131313 https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044246575 Definition:
A red flag known as ideological support includes the belief system based on a person's ideology and ignoring the scientific findings.

Connection:
This article explores the growing popularity of the Flat Earth theory, and why this is happening. One of the reasons why is the lack of scientific education, which allows people to be easily convinced that this is the truth. The other, and more popular one is distrust of the authorities. Lots of people think that big agencies, governments, scientists, etc. profit from misleading the general population.
This phenomenon, flat Earth theory, falls under ideological support because believers of this theory based their conclusion on supporting the idea of misleading government, rather than listening to the scientists


https://physicsworld.com/a/fighting-flat-earth-theory/]]> 2022-02-13 04:58:01 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044246575 Post #4 Red Flag: Mystical Energy nazarova13131313 https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044268611 Definition:

Mystical energy red flag includes the reference to some kind of "energy", which is misused in a current context. If you substitute the word "energy" with "ability to do work" and it does not make sense, then there is a pseudoscience content in front of you

Connection:

Taoism is one of the main religions in China today. This religion is based on the concept of harmony between humans and the energy found in this universe.
It is a pseudoscientific red flag mystical energy because the word energy used in this article does not make sense if we use the scientific meaning of it. ]]> 2022-02-13 05:49:02 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044268611 Post #6 Red Flag: Appeal to Authority nazarova13131313 https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044273087 Definition:
Appeal to Authorities uses people in lab coats, with university degrees, celebrities, successful businessmen, etc. to advertise a product, or popularize the idea.

Connection:
This article explores Gwyneth Paltrow's company Goop, which includes in their products items that are not scientifically proven to work, not properly tested, might harm a person's health, and are expensive.
This company received a lot of criticism from certified doctors, but people are still actively buying these products.
This influence of this public figure overshadowed the peoples' critical thinking, and opinions of the specialists, which makes it a good example of an appeal to authority red flag. ]]> 2022-02-13 05:58:44 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044273087 Post #7 Reason for Belief: Ideology (video) aiymzhan_istayeva https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044588363  
Definition: Ideology is an idea/religion/set of rules that is usually followed by people. People who follow ideology generally act and think in the way that supports the ideology.
 
Connection: This video discusses if organic food is beneficial for the health and environment as some people believe which connects to the Ideology that organic food is better. The video is not biased and includes several studies that support both sides: conventional and organic food. The credibility of the studies (evidence) was also discussed and ideas (alternative solutions) for sustainable food sources were provided. The emotional side of and the ideology of the people buying organic food are also discussed, for example, people feel better when buying organic food because they think that it is healthier and more eco-friendly. This video covers all the critical thinking process and gives the best solution in the end. 
]]> 2022-02-13 14:23:25 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044588363 Post #8 Reason for Belief: Agenticity (video) aiymzhan_istayeva https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044592863 Definition: 
Agenticity is a human tendency to search for hidden meaning in random events and try to correlate with agents. An example is conspiracy theories that make people come up with and believe in. 

Connection:
The video discusses the origin and aspects of the "Lizard People" conspiracy. The father of this "theory" is David Icke who promoted the idea that some human beings are actually lizards who pretend to be humans to rule the world. He also mentioned that lizard people can utilize the fourth dimension to change their appearance (red flag: proof of verbosity) and use telepathy (red flag: mystical energy). People believe in this theory because some people look weird on the videos and people tend to search for patterns in the meaningless (patternicity). In the video, it is also discussed how people tend to search for patterns to give meaning to something and how then this meaning and associations become their belief. ]]> 2022-02-13 14:28:47 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044592863 Post #9 Reason for Belief: Perception and Observation (video) aiymzhan_istayeva https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044594974 Definition: Perception and observation are the processes that allow us to perceive our surrounding. All of what we see, feel and remember are only subjective and usually is not the reality.

Connection: The video brings up the topic about how our memories are not reliable and can be easily manipulated. A few studies with very interesting results have been provided showing that people can find something in their memories that has never happed to them, their memories can be manipulated by showing something once and asking about it again later on, etc. People tend to change their memories to fit in their current views/position or remember only those that support their current mindset, which is also an effect of confirmation bias. ]]> 2022-02-13 14:31:23 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044594974 Post #10 Critical Analysis aiymzhan_istayeva https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044721083 We have chosen the video "Is Organic Food Really Better? Healthy Food or Trendy Scam?" for critical thinking analysis. 

Extraordinary claim: Organic food is better than conventional food. 

Gather information:
Source: a YouTube video that discusses if the organic food is healthier (contains fewer pesticides, is more nutritious, ethical, etc. ) and is more eco-friendly (less greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, etc.). 

Arguments for: Organic foods have more antioxidants, are a little more nutritious, less pesticide residue. Producing organic food requires less energy.

Arguments against: In growing organic food there are still pesticides involved, even if they are natural, they are still toxic (some even more than synthetic pesticides) that in high concentrations are harmful to the organism. All food that is being put to the shelves has to be compliant with regulations and conventional foods also pass the standards. 
Both organic and conventional food is prone to bacteria and fungi growth. 
Producing conventional food requires more energy but needs less land, while the greenhouse gas emission is the same as for organic food production. These results demonstrate producing conventional food is better for the environment. 
Because of the rising demand on organic food, local farms are not able to provide the required amount, which leads to the use of transportation that is not eco-friendly.
There's no internationally approved label for organic food, which means that every company and country has its own view of organic.  

Evidence Evaluation: In the video description all of the sources for studies are provided with in-video citations. The credibility of those studies was also checked and questioned in the video. In the video, the discussion follows the scientific method. 

Assumptions, Emotions, and Biases: The video is based on the common public assumption that organic food is healthier and better. In the video, it was also discussed how buying organic food which is usually more expensive but seems to be healthier makes people feel better about themselves and their possible impact on the ecology. 
The video itself is unbiased, because the studies provided are not one-sided, and give arguments for both sides. 

Alternative Solutions: Alternative solutions provided by the video are: 1)combining best sides of both organic and conventional food production, 2) if the person wants to be healthier, then simply buying more fruit, vegetables (organic or not), and less processed food will be enough, 3)buy seasonal local food. 

Select Best Alternative: My personal best alternative would be buying conventional foods that are year-round available (most vegetables and some fruits) and seasonal local food. I believe that eating less food that is imported and not in season (for example, berries that are sold not in the summer) is the best action that can be done by me as a customer. ]]> 2022-02-13 16:50:53 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044721083 Post #5 Red Flag: Confirmation Bias (Video) nazarova13131313 https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044856413 Definition:
Confirmation bias red flag consists of people focusing on things that align with their beliefs and ignoring facts, that don't

Connection:
This video explores the cognitive biases that affect the decisions about vaccinating children.
When the parents are faced with their child's diagnosis of autism, some of them are determined to find the reason why that happened. They go on the internet and find a lot of articles and anti-vaccine activists' opinions on the harmful effects of vaccination.
Confirmation bias steps in when the parent starts believing that the vaccines were the cause of autism, because of the popularity of this belief.
That way, the vaccination rates will decrease unless people start researching medical studies showing that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the harm, and there is no connection (and has never been) between autism and vaccines.]]> 2022-02-13 19:04:56 UTC https://padlet.com/aiymzhan_istayeva/fceymxizn1vrqakc/wish/2044856413