Backfire Effect Backfire Effect Lesson Objectives: Understand what "the backfire effect" is Avoid the backfire effect as you do your own research Instructions: Read this comic, You're Not Going to Believe What I'm Going to Tell You, by Matthew Inman, creator of The Oatmeal

Backfire Effect

Backfire Effect Lesson

Objectives:

• Understand what "the backfire effect" is
• Avoid the backfire effect as you do your own research

Instructions:

Read this comic, You're Not Going to Believe What I'm Going to Tell You, by Matthew Inman, creator of The Oatmeal. (FYI, the original version included some colorful language; a "clean," classroom-friendly version is linked here.)

Recall an experience you've had with the backfire effect, either when you were trying to convince someone of something, or someone was trying to convince you. You could also recall when you read something that was difficult to believe but turned out to be true. Why do you think the information caused the reaction it did? 

Identify a strategy or two that you can use to make sure you don't fall victim to the backfire effect when you're doing your own research later in this unit and in the future study or work.