Sometimes a graph is just a graph

Monday, 27 October, 2014

Researchers from the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab have found that graphs or formulas accompanying medical information can lead consumers to believe products are more effective, despite not actually providing additional evidence.

In one study, the researchers recruited 61 participants to read information about a new medication. Half of the participants were presented with a paragraph about the medication and the other half read the same paragraph with an accompanying graph, which contained no new information. While 67.7% of the first group believed the medicine was effective in reducing illness, this number jumped to 96.6% in the second group. Another study meanwhile showed new participants either the paragraph or the paragraph plus the chemical formula of the drug’s active ingredient. Those who weren’t shown the formula believed the medication would work for about 3.8 hours; the other group thought it would work for 5.9 hours.

An additional study reiterated the hypothesis that individuals are influenced by scientific-looking information simply because they perceive it to be true, and not because it helps with understanding. New participants were presented with either the paragraph and graph from the first study or just with the paragraph with an added sentence repeating that the medication reduced illness by 20%. All participants were asked to estimate how much the medication reduced illness and their level of agreement with the statement “I believe in science”. Graphs did not appear to increase participants’ understanding of the information or their recall of the percentage by which it reduced illness. However, those who indicated a belief in science and who were shown the graph expressed the strongest confidence in the effectiveness of the medication.

Writing in the journal Public Understanding of Science, the researchers said the persuasiveness of elements such as graphs and chemical formulas “appears to be due to the association of such elements with science, rather than increased comprehensibility, use of visuals, or recall”. Lead author Dr Aner Tal warned consumers to question any claims which are made about new products and to remember: “Sometimes a graph is just a graph.”

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