CREDULITY AND GULLIBILITY AMONG SERVICE PROVIDERS AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND WHY SNAKE OIL SELLS

Chapter 9

Presented By:

Heather Peltack

WHAT IS SNAKE OIL? Comes from the 19th-century American practice of

selling “cure-all” remedies

Snake oil salesmen would falsely claim that the “potions” would cure any ailments.

Now-a-days it refers to “fake products”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xat9xSos_7g

STEPHEN GREENSPAN

PHD Developmental Psychology University of Rochester

Post-doctorate Developmental Disabilities UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute

Last 10 years he became interested in the problem of “gullibility”

Recently developed a theory of "foolish action“ Gullibility is one of three sub-types Exploring the implications Understanding and helping individuals,

particularly those with vulnerabilities, to live happy and secure lives.

http://www.stephen-greenspan.com/biography.html

"GULLIBILITY" A tendency to be fooled or duped Tricked repeatedly Manipulated by one or more people Gullible people do not tend to learn from

example

CREDULITY

Synonym for Gullibility A state of willingness to believe in one or

many people or things in the absence of reasonable proof or knowledge

Not simply belief in something that may be false. The subject of the belief may even be correct,

but a credulous person will believe it without good evidence.

FADS Fad = Band Wagon

No one wants to be left behind when they think something worthwhile is happening

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Autism Band Wagon of Fads

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Gullibility

Gullibility

Gullibility

FC

SITUATIONAL FACTORS UNDERLYING GULLIBILITY TOWARDS FADS

Social Pressure or Group Pressure- 2 or more people who encourage a belief

May erase doubt May reduce pressure on oneself Example- “Shell Game”

Existence of ambiguous situation More conventional approaches due not appear to be

working well

The desperate desire by a family member or professional relatives or client to be “cured”

Mom Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yn4SBNSkg4&list=

PL97C7BAB934132514&index=2&feature=plpp_video

Lack of knowledge/ sophistication about research methods or scientific literature to a particular disability

SITUATIONAL FACTORS UNDERLYING GULLIBILITY TOWARDS FADS

Autism is a fertile field for fads Complexity (no clear handle for parents) Unusual mix of components

SITUATIONAL FACTORS UNDERLYING GULLIBILITY TOWARDS FADS

Human tendency to believe in miracles God/ Religions Fairies

True believers The desire to help and cure The extent to which certain treatment are congruent with

strong ideological and political process in the disability field. Facilitated Communications-FC craze http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqhlv0UZUwY

AFFECTIVE FACTORS UNDERLYING GULLIBILITY TOWARDS FADS

If someone is intelligent does not mean you should trust their advice Intelligence (IQ)

Academic Social and everyday aspects

“A more sophisticated and knowledgeable professional is likely to be skeptical in the face of such pseudoscientific arguments, whereas naïve and poorly educated individuals are, presumably more like to find arguments convincing.”

COGNITIVE FACTORS UNDERLYING GULLIBILITY TOWARDS FADS

Professional license or advanced degree is no guarantee that one is an expert

Semi profession- a field that lacks an underlying scientific base or where the base is highly suspect. Unlikely to have meaningful training Lacks knowledge on research Works within organizations

Why semi professions have been quick to adopt quack therapies? Something they can call “their own” Seek insurance reimbursement

COGNITIVE FACTORS UNDERLYING GULLIBILITY TOWARDS FADS

BOOKS

CAN GULLIBILITY IN SERVICE PROVIDERS BE PREVENTED?

The Doctorshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oEtF8FdqpA

CAN WE CONTAIN AND MINIMIZE THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE GULLIBILITY TO FADS?

Looking for detailed code of ethics in professions

Joining professional organization Educating about fads Educating on how to spot fads

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Make sure what you are doing is effective

Better job at educating the public about science, the scientific method, and current research findings

Train students to be good practitioners and researchers Find ways to work with and collaborate with

other professionals instead of alienate them Encourage to be skeptical and be open-minded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI

WHAT CAN WE DO? (CONT.)

Finding ways to talk about these in a way that is understood by lay people Behaviorspeak

Having professionals devote as a job to be in public relations Dr. Sharon Reeve http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CE5nYjCmUc

Educating the parents and families that we work with about how to evaluate potential treatments

SUMMARY

For individuals, practitioners and service agents it is important to be viewed as competent

An importance to be competent is to is to make sure you: Recognize worthless fads Educate on why they are a fad Provide a more successful option

REFERENCES

Jacobson, J.W., Foxx R.M., & Mulick, J.A. (Eds.). (2005). Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities: Fad, fashion, and science in professional practice.Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, ISBN: 0-8058-4192-X