Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Confirmation Biases01:31

Confirmation Biases

6.3K
The confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that is inconsistent with our expectations. For example, if you think that your professor is not very nice, you notice all of the instances of rude behavior exhibited by the professor while ignoring the countless pleasant interactions he is involved in on a daily basis. Have you ever fallen prey to the confirmation bias, either as the source or target of such bias?
6.3K
Ethics in Research01:56

Ethics in Research

23.7K
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
23.7K
The Scientific Method02:40

The Scientific Method

61.1K
Research is what makes the difference between facts and opinions. Facts are observable realities, and opinions are personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may or may not be accurate. In the scientific community, facts can be established only using evidence collected through empirical research.
61.1K
Archival Research01:40

Archival Research

16.2K
Some researchers gain access to large amounts of data without interacting with a single research participant. Instead, they use existing records to answer various research questions. This type of research approach is known as archival research. Archival research relies on looking at past records or data sets to look for interesting patterns or relationships. For example, a researcher might access the academic records of all individuals who enrolled in college within the past ten years and...
16.2K
Case Studies01:22

Case Studies

12.0K
There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological processes that underlie it.
12.0K
Bias01:22

Bias

4.8K
Bias refers to any tendency that prevents a question from being considered unprejudiced. In research, bias occurs when one outcome or answer is selected or encouraged over others in sampling or testing. Bias can occur during any research phase, including study design, data collection, analysis, and publication.
In statistics, a sampling bias is created when a sample is collected from a population, and some members of the population are not as likely to be chosen as others (remember, each member...
4.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Victims of Conspiracies? An Examination of the Relationship Between Conspiracy Beliefs and Dispositional Individual Victimhood.

European journal of social psychology·2026
Same author

Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries - the TISP dataset.

Scientific data·2025
Same author

Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries.

Nature human behaviour·2025
Same author

Scaffolding informed consent.

Journal of medical ethics·2025
Same author

Responsibility is not required for authorship.

Journal of medical ethics·2024
Same author

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries.

Science advances·2024
Same journal

Can Evidential Pluralism mitigate bias and motivated reasoning?

Synthese·2026
Same journal

AI-assisted rational decision-making.

Synthese·2026
Same journal

Technological Understanding: On the cognitive skill involved in the design and use of technological artefacts.

Synthese·2026
Same journal

Addictive Motivational Scaffolds and the Structure of Social Media.

Synthese·2026
Same journal

When do we experience effort?

Synthese·2026
Same journal

Prescriptive 'selves' and self-illness ambiguity.

Synthese·2025
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits
08:27

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits

Published on: September 27, 2019

7.0K

Do your own research!

Neil Levy1,2

  • 1Department of Philosophy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia.

Synthese
|August 29, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ordinary people should trust expert testimony for reliable truth. While lay research can undermine knowledge, it fosters understanding. Exploratory inquiry offers benefits while minimizing risks.

Keywords:
Conspiracy theoriesIntellectual autonomyKnowledgeUnderstanding

More Related Videos

Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
03:36

Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Published on: April 12, 2024

525
Analysis of Circadian Photoresponses in Drosophila Using Locomotor Activity
00:08

Analysis of Circadian Photoresponses in Drosophila Using Locomotor Activity

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits
08:27

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits

Published on: September 27, 2019

7.0K
Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
03:36

Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Published on: April 12, 2024

525
Analysis of Circadian Photoresponses in Drosophila Using Locomotor Activity
00:08

Analysis of Circadian Photoresponses in Drosophila Using Locomotor Activity

1.4K

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • Epistemology
  • Social Epistemology

Background:

  • Philosophical traditions and conspiracy theorists advocate for lay research over expert testimony.
  • Conspiracy theorists particularly value lay research on expert topics.
  • This preference for lay research can paradoxically undermine knowledge acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the epistemological consequences of lay research on expert topics.
  • To demonstrate how lay research can negatively impact truth and justification.
  • To explore strategies for maximizing the benefits of lay research while mitigating its risks.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation and conceptual analysis.
  • Examination of the relationship between lay inquiry, expert testimony, and knowledge.
  • Distinction between truth-directed and exploratory inquiry.

Main Results:

  • Lay research on expert topics is likely to undermine knowledge by affecting truth and justification.
  • Accepting expert testimony is a more reliable path to acquiring knowledge.
  • Lay research can, however, lead to increased understanding, even without yielding knowledge.

Conclusions:

  • While lay research can be detrimental to knowledge, it offers benefits like enhanced understanding.
  • Engaging in exploratory inquiry, rather than truth-directed research, allows for reaping benefits while minimizing risks.
  • Exploratory inquiry involves a dogmatic approach, expecting neither confirmation of expert views nor disconfirmation of alternatives.