This is a slightly modified version of my presentation at Bar Camp Canberra #3. It's been modified to include a few more on-screen notes and a page of suggested resources from the bar camp attendees. I also ran a mini exercise to explain the Forer and Barnum effect. This was based on psychologist Bertram R. Forer's experiment (versions of which has been run by James Randi and many others). The wording of the exercise was from http://skepdic.com/forer.html. The term 'quirkology' was coined by Professor Richard Wiseman (@RichardWiseman) who does some awesome stuff (like his book Quirkology and his tv series, The People Watchers).

2. An intro to critical thinking,
skepticism & quirkology
By @RuthEllison
For BarCamp Canberra #3
On 6th February 2010

3. Work at Stamford Interactive
Live in Canberra
Chocolate appreciator
Loves robots
Loves gadgets
I’m Ruth User experience designer
“I help make Skeptic-in-training
things easier to
use”

4. Let me tell you a story about shampoo...
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stirwise/527796228/

5. A few years back, I
received a phone call
from The Parents.

6. There’s this chemical Sodium lauryl
sulfate (SLS)...

7. This substance is found in most
shampoos...but the fact is that SLS
is used to scrub garage floors, and it
is very strong. It is also proven that it
can cause cancer in the long run.
Source: random emails from around the web

8. Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brainware3000/22205084/

9. So I did

10. I replaced it with a special “safe and
effective” product full of “wholesome,
gentle, health-enhancing
ingredients.”*
* Scam alert! Multi-level marketing alert!

11. A few months later and much
moolah...

12. I’ve been had!

13. The Facts
SLS is an irritant
Is not carcinogenic
Sources: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/shampoo.asp; CIR publication. Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate. Journal of the American College of Toxicology. 1983 Vol. 2 (No. 7) pages 127-181.

14. QLD Environmental Health Unit: “SLS
may possibly cause death...if you
ingest approx 5-10kg of
toothpaste”(containing 1% of SLS)
Sources: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/documents/ehu/3368.pdf

15. Source of image:
http://www.colgate.com.au/Colgate/AU/OC/Products/Toothpastes/PDPContent/ColgateAdvancedWhitening/caw_r2_c1.jpg

16. A skeptic?
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spamily/2181824324/

17. Skepticism
Isn’t a set of beliefs
It’s a method, not a position1
It’s about critical thinking
Applying methods of science
Respecting good evidence
1 http://www.skeptic.com/about_us/index.html

18. Some famous skeptics
Carl Sagan
James Randi Richard Wiseman Richard Dawkins
Penn & Teller (who we got to
meet in Vegas)
Image sources: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/9612/sagan_uc.gif , http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/0701-dawkins-jacket.jpg,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/balerini/2532483450/, http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4ify7vDXrDs/SyrDgTuZbcI/AAAAAAAAE_8/3BLte-9MsGY/s320/James+Randi.jpeg,
http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/07-09-12images/RWiseman.gif

19. What sparked my interest?
Lots of interesting psychological quirks

20. Watch the video of Richard Wiseman’s
magic card trick (cool quirkology)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voA
ntzB7EwE

21. Expectations shape our
experience of the world

22. Mmm, nom
nom nom.

23. What’s happening?

24. Part of being a
skeptic is
recognising and
compensating
for our biases

25. Some common cognitive biases

26. Loss aversion
Imagine that your country is preparing for an
outbreak of a disease which is expected to
kill 600 people.
Which vaccination schedule will you select?
Program A which will save 200
Program B which will save all 600 with
probability 1/3
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion

27. Imagine that your country is preparing
for an outbreak of a disease which is
expected to kill 600 people.
Which vaccination schedule will you
select?
Program A: which will allow 400
people to die
Program B: no one dies (1/3
probability) or all 600 will die (2/3
probability)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion

28. Forer effect: the tendency to give high accuracy ratings to
descriptions of their personality that supposedly are tailored
specifically for them, but are in fact vague and general enough to
apply to a wide range of people source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
Barnum effect: a type of subjective validation in which a
person finds personal meaning in statements that could apply to
many people source: http://skepdic.com/barnum.html

29. Avoid biases by critically
thinking about the issue
Consider totality of evidence
Ask questions, listen
carefully

30. Want to learn more?
Listen: The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Skeptoid
Read: Australian Skeptics - www.skeptics.com.au
www.skeptic.com
www.snopes.com
Whatstheharm.net
Modern Skepticism http://www.slideshare.net/reedesau/modern-skepticism-bias-and-the-informed-consensus
www.criticalthinking.org
Skeptic’s Dictionary skepdic.com
Quirkology by Richard Wiseman
Attend: The Amazing Meeting (TAM) in Sydney
http://www.skeptics.com.au/latest/announcements/australian-skeptics-announce-tamaustralia2010/
Watch: The People Watchers
Penn & Teller’s Bullshit!

31. Here are additional readings
suggested by attendees of the
session
• Richard Dawkins letter to his 10 year old daughter
(how to warn your child about this irrational world)
http://www.rationalresponders.com/richard_dawkins_letter_to_his_10_year_old_daughter_how_to_warn_your_child_about_this_irr
ational_world
• Skeptical Sundays to be held shortly in Canberra,
organised by @lozz
• Skeptics in the Pub, held in Sydney on the first
Thursday every month check out www.skeptics.com.au

32. Ruth Ellison
Email: me@ruthellison.com
Web: www.ruthellison.com
@RuthEllison
Find this presentation at www.slideshare.net/ruthellison
Image sources: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355646/ , http://randaclay.com/freebies/free-twitter-graphics/