All posts by medical

Neuroscience

Lewontin’s Confession and Mamet’s Principle – Discovery Institute

Jerry Coyne and his Darwinist/materialist/atheist brethren make public assertions that are nonsense on their face: they claim to be mindless meat machines, they deny the indisputable evidence for intelligent design in biology and for teleology in all of nature, they deny the obvious evidence for the supernatural in cosmological singularities such as black holes and the singularity at the origin of the Big Bang, and they deny the manifest corruption of modern science by materialism and arrogance and egotism. Materialists tout determinism and deny free will, despite the fact that determinism in physics has been quite decisively refuted and the fact that free will is well supported by neuroscience and that denial of free will negates the ability to make a truth claim of any sort (if a materialists opinion is forced by chemical reactions, theres no reason to think it corresponds to truth. Chemistry is not a propositional and can be neither true nor false). Atheists deny the existence of God because of evil in nature, without realizing that the recognition of evil presupposes an objective moral standard that can only be grounded in a Mind outside of man.

Darwinism/materialism/atheism (the three are nearly always found together) is beset with self-refuting non-sequiturs. This triad is not even a genuine ideological perspective as much as it is an incoherent mistake. Yet, ironically, many who tout it are quite intelligent people.

Playwright David Mamet noted a characteristic in politics that applies broadly to flawed belief systems. It struck me as a key to understanding the philosophical perspective of those who deny free will, design in nature, Gods existence, and the like. Mamet originally applied it to a particular political philosophy, but I apply Mamets principle to Darwinists et al:

in order for [Darwinists, atheists, materialists, etc.] to continue their illogical belief systems they have to pretend not to know a lot of things.

The pretense not to know things is at the root of Darwinist/atheist/materialist ideology. It was stated with astonishing candor by Harvard biologist Richard Lewontin, one of the past centurys leading Darwinists:

Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism.

It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated.

Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door

Lewontins confession is a remarkable invocation of Mamets principle: in order to maintain the Darwinist/materialist ideology, atheists have to pretend not to know a lot of things.

The fundamental reason that Darwinists have vented such fury at the intelligent design movement even to the point that a prominent scientific journal openly advocates government censorship of ID is that ID has forced Darwinists and other atheist and materialist ideologues to publicly explain themselves, and that has made their pretense that there is no design in nature so much harder to pull off.

Photo: David Mamet, by David Shankbone / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).

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Lewontin's Confession and Mamet's Principle - Discovery Institute

Human Behavior

How Not to Respond During Off-Leash Incidents – The Bark

A video (below) capturing a highly charged incident that occurred between a woman walking her dog and a birdwatcher in NYCs Central Park has gone viral. The antagonistic confrontation has spurred charges of racism, entitlement and accusations of animal cruelty. While we feel that the accusations of racist behavior are valid, well leave that discussion to the political pundits and social activists and, instead, weigh in on the dog part of the equation. Step-by-step, heres what is wrong with this picture and our recommendations for good dog AND human behavior in these types of situations.

Postscript: Henry, the Cocker Spaniel shown in the video has been surrendered to the rescue group who adopted him out a few years ago while the aftermath of this event blows over. Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc. posted the following on their Facebook page:

Thank you to the concerned public for reaching out to us about a video involving a dog that was adopted from our rescue a few years ago. As of this evening, the owner has voluntarily surrendered the dog in question to our rescue while this matter is being addressed. Our mission remains the health and safety of our rescued dogs. The dog is now in our rescues care and he is safe and in good health. We will not be responding to any further inquiries about the situation, either publicly or privately. Thank you for your understanding.

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How Not to Respond During Off-Leash Incidents - The Bark

Human Behavior

We have slipped down the slope of ‘relative ethics’ – theday.com

What is the difference between moral and ethical issues? Moral issues deal with establishment and dissemination of absolute rules ofhuman behavior such as the difference between what is rightand wrong, good or bad whereas ethical issues deal with theimplementation of those moral rules of conductthat form an essential part of a particular cultureor group such as medical ethics or Christian ethics. Those ethics are groundedin either unchanging absolute moralterms or are relative and shifting.

Absolute ethics aregenerally accepted rules of human behavior. Relative ethics differ according to the nature of the culture for which they were established or by which they are interpreted.Thus, the rules of behavior for the elite in society, including the very rich, powerful, and celebrities, may differ from generally accepted rules of behavior.Many religions tell their followers, "Thou shall not kill." But powerful national leaders can say it is permitted because it is God's will. Thus, the leaders ofnations have the power to switch from theabsolute torelative ethical rules to direct their soldiers, who have been taught by the absolute ethical rule of "not to kill" to in fact kill in the name of God or country.

Likewise, absolute ethical rules state it is bad human behavior to lie or bribe people to gain personal advantage. However, in the domain or relative ethics, rulers of nations lie and bribe without hesitation and justify it by saying that the lie or bribe was in the best interests of the people.

Today, the relative ethical domain has expanded to include global organizations, national industries, large corporations, local governments, small businesses, families, and, yes, even individuals who rationalize, "If it is in my best interest, I will do it,ethics be damned!"

Years ago, my boss, the head of publications at a research laboratory, called a meeting of his supervisors about a new directive he had received. He told us he was not going to follow that directive. When asked what he would say if someone up the chain of command questioned him about it, he said, "I will lie."

Maybe the Social Sciences can develop theories, test hypotheses, and replicate results to obtain facts proving that the interests of all these social entities are best served by returning to the domain of absolute ethics and restoring credibility to the conduct of our affairs.

Alfred H. Lotring lives in the Gales Ferry section of Ledyard.

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We have slipped down the slope of 'relative ethics' - theday.com

Human Behavior

ASK THE BOARD: The Psychology of Digital Signage Content – Digital Signage Connection

How has psychology and understanding the human brain helped to inform your content approaches?

This weeks question is answered by members of the DSE Advisory BoardCONTENT COUNCIL

We subconsciously use bias all the time to make choices and navigate information we are exposed to through other people and our environment. Broadly speaking, bias is a general pattern or a tendency to think in a certain way.

DR. ELIZABETH CORNELLDirector of Internal CommunicationsFordham IT

We learned early on that, if we were to create content for an often soundless medium that audiences were usually only glancing at, we needed some insight into how to cheat the human system.

DAVE DOLEJSIAssociate Vice President Content StrategySt. Joseph Communications

The psychological/human brain stat I continually go back to is a research study conducted by statisticbrain. The study shows us that

STEVE GLANCEYVice President Business Development ScreenfeedContent

Without question, having a better understanding of the human psyche is invaluable to the way in which we produce content. It provides us with an understanding of how humans react to color and various visual cues.

BRYAN MESZAROSCEO & Founder OpenEye

Understanding human behavior is key to creating both advertising and informational content. With advertising content, theres often a need to create an emotional connection between a brand and the consumer.

JIM NISTASenior Director of Content Creation Services, Almo Pro AV

As part of our delivery of fully integrated brand experiences, my digital experience teams employ a design thinking methodology, which is founded on human-centered design. This is the process by which, before we can create content or deliver an experience, we must first understand

MARCOS TERENZIOVice President, Creative & Strategy iGotcha Media

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ASK THE BOARD: The Psychology of Digital Signage Content - Digital Signage Connection

Human Behavior

How fast will you need to flee from the heat? There’s a word for that. – Grist

News on climate in the time of coronavirusSubscribe today

Ocean creatures are finding themselves in hot water as the world warms. To stay cool, theyre relocating to deeper parts of the ocean, and its throwing ecosystems all out of whack.

A new study in the journal Nature Climate Change calculated how fast different layers of the ocean are heating up. Species are swimming to deeper waters to escape the heat at different rates, and the researchers warn that many sea dwellers like tuna, which rely on plankton at the waters surface for food, might struggle to adapt.

The study brought a new phrase into the news: climate velocity. Its basically the speed and direction that a given species will need to shift as their corner of the world heats up. Climate velocity has been in use in academic circles for more than a decade, but the study marks the first time the phrase made the headlines.

As climate change reshuffles life on earth, climate velocity applies up here on the surface, too. Warmer weather will drive animals seeking new homes into encounters with species they dont normally meet sort of like how grizzlies have been showing up in polar bears dwindling territory, leading to the emergence of grolar bears (or pizzlies?). And its not just flora and fauna. Humans, too, will have to move to survive.

Global warming will make large swaths of the Earth too hot for humans, as David Wallace-Wells memorably described in The Uninhabitable Earth, a book that features a grisly account of how the body breaks down in sweltering heat. Thats just one of many interesting challenges in store. The rising ocean is already submerging coasts, and changing weather patterns are helping to create new deserts. (The Sahara is expected to keep swallowing up more land as the planet warms.) Researchers estimate that the climate crisis could displace between 25 million and 1 billion people by 2050. For perspective, the most commonly cited number 200 million means that one in every 45 people would be displaced by mid-century.

Warmer weather and changing weather patterns are already altering how people grow food. In Alaska, for instance, rising temperatures mean that farmers can farm potatoes on the previously inhospitable tundra. Greenlanders are harvesting strawberries and tomatoes. In California, farmers are planting orchards, crossing their fingers that the fruit and nut trees theyre planting today will be able to make it in the hotter, drier world that the coming decades will bring.

Migration is inevitable. The fish are definitely in trouble. But our climate velocity, the pace at which people will be forced to abandon their homes and relocate, is largely TBD. One reason estimates of the number of people who will be displaced varies so widely is that its hard to predict human behavior. If governments decide to pull the plug on fossil fuel emissions soon, it will slow climate velocity and save human lives and probably rescue a bunch of cute marine species, too.

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How fast will you need to flee from the heat? There's a word for that. - Grist

Human Behavior

How to stop friends and relatives from spreading misinformation about Covid-19 – CNBC

A volunteer in Chennai, India holds a placard to raise awareness about the coronavirus on a street during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Arun Sankar | AFP | Getty Images

Are you seeing misinformation about the coronavirus across your social media feeds? You're far from alone.

Studies are finding that huge swaths of the population believe at least one false claim about Covid-19, and many are openly sharing content to support their views online. More than thirty percent of Americans believe that scientists created the novel coronavirus in a lab, for instance, even though that theory has been widely discredited.

False claims have become so widespread during the pandemic that the World Health Organization has been referring to an "infodemic."

So what should you do if you spot people sharing falsehoods on social media? And is there a way to convince them otherwise?

CNBC spoke to a range of experts to get their advice on how to call out misinformation, ideally without alienating friends or family members in the process. They all agreed that the exercise is absolutely worth trying --and numerous studies support that -- but to recognize that you might not always be successful.

Here are some of their top tips if you're willing to try:

Sherry Pagoto,a professor in the department of allied health sciences at the University of Connecticut, has been thinking about this topic quite a bit. Pagoto, who studies human behavior, has seen false information spreading on her own social media feeds at an accelerated pace during the pandemic.

Her advice to others is to avoid making the person posting the information feel stupid by embarrassing them publicly. That will likely just make them more defensive, which is counter-productive if your goal is to change their mind. Instead, send a private message instead or set up a time to talk one-on-one, depending on how close you are to that person.

"You don't want it to feel like a 'gotcha' moment," warns Pagoto.

She acknowledges that there is some value in posting publicly, so others in the community can see the post and the replies. But she will often try out a private message initially, and hope that the poster will consider taking the content down without feeling shamed.

Dan Ness, a technology researcher based in Southern California, recently saw a neighbor post on Nextdoor about a local politicianquestioning how many people had really died from Covid-19. The intent of the post was to spur a discussion about re-opening businesses.

Ness noticed that the source of the information seemed dubious, so he asked the neighbor privately whether he might want to double-check it just in case the politician had been quoted inaccurately.

It worked. The neighbor chose to take the post down.

"He didn't feel attacked by my belittling him," said Ness, when asked about why he thought the strategy was successful.

Gina Merchant, a behavioral scientist based in San Diego, leads with curiosity and empathy when combating misinformation. If she sees a reference to the "China virus"on her feeds, for instance, she'll ask questions or open up a broader discussion. (Public health experts have criticized the term "China virus", which has been used by President Trump, as contributing to xenophobia and racism against people of Asian descent).

"I'll write something back like, 'it's interesting to think about where viruses come from,'" she explained, before trying to engage in a conversation about the term."I try to pivot the conversation away from being emotionally charged," she said.

Pagoto suggested acknowledging that a person might find a piece of misinformation compelling, before passing along the information that contradicts it.

"That's very understandable, given that misinformation is becoming more and more sophisticated," she notes.

When Dr. Ashely Alker started getting a flurry of questions about a viral video clip, called Plandemic, she knew she needed to address it with her family and friends. So Dr. Alker, who works in emergency medicine, put together a Twitter thread where she dismantled many of the false claims made in the film and shared it with her network.

Dr. Alker said she always takes the time to combat misinformation, but tries to do it in a way people can relate to. "I like making science something that everyone can understand," she said. "If you can give someone a way to relate to the information it helps."

She will often start with science that is generally known or accepted, and build from that. She avoids using medical jargon whenever possible. She's had a lot of success with that approach, and is now putting together weekly infographics to explain various aspects of the science.

"What does not work is getting political or making a person feel stupid," she added.

Zayna Khayat, a health strategist, has had mixed success sharing data. She recently tried to correct a distant family friend who posted about a previous flu outbreak that killed a lot of Americans, while arguing against shutdowns for Covid-19.

"I replied with a simple fact check and added three to four bullet points of facts that shut the whole article down."

"No response," she said.

In Pagoto's experience, non-scientists are often better at digesting new information in the form of stories than facts, graphics, charts and statistics. When confronted with contradictory information, some people will even double down on their existing views by looking for more data -- often from illegitimate sources -- that supports their point of view, rather than adapt in the face of new evidence.

"Not everyone makes their decisions and forms opinions based on data," said Pagoto. So she recommends using data where appropriate, but communicating using storytelling or personal anecdotes.

"It's better to come across as a human," adds Timothy Caulfield, a Canadian professor of law at the University of Alberta who specializes in researching misinformation. "We all want to engage with genuine individuals that seem to empathize with our concerns."

The experts agree that it is worthwhile to shoot off a couple links to credible research while making your appeal.

Pediatric neurophysiology fellow Dan Freedman took that approach when a friend in his network posted a video featuring the controversial scientistDr. Shiva Ayyadurai making false assertions about Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Freedman, who is based in Ohio, assumed that the poster wasn't aware of Ayyadurai's checkered past. So he pointed out that he lacked expertise in infectious diseases or immunology, was a known critic of vaccines, and had made a bogus claim that he invented email. "She realized her mistake and deleted the post (and) then when someone else shared it, she commented 'this guy is an antivaxxer'."

Freedman thinks the approach worked because he shared the information friend-to-friend, and didn't cast judgment on her for posting it.

"I told her that I knew she wasn't aware of his backstory and thought that this knowledge might change her mind."

Caulfield, the misinformation expert from the University of Alberta, agrees that it's still worth providing a short summary or a few links to the science, as well as to refer to trustworthy news sources. It doesn't always work, but some folks will even turn around and correct others with the new information at their fingertips.

If you've taken the time to combat misinformation, thank you for your service to the Internet. But know that you can't convince everyone.

While researching anti-vaccination content, Merchant realized that some people were open to new information (she calls them the "fence sitters"). But some hardline anti-vaxxers were not willing to budge, even in the face of ample scientific evidence.

So in some cases, you might not want to bother. And if you are feeling like you need a break, there's always the option to mute or block someone. You can also report the content as false on some social media sites, including to Facebook (although these companies have been notoriously slow at responding).

Ultimately, the experts recommend that you pick your battles. And please, don't get burnt out in the process.

Have you ever convinced a friend or family-member to take down misinformation? Share your strategy with us @CNBCTech.

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How to stop friends and relatives from spreading misinformation about Covid-19 - CNBC

Human Behavior

Art during a pandemic: How artists are responding to COVID-19 – The Prospector

During self-isolating times amid the coronavirus pandemic, artists in El Paso and all over the world are creating artwork and adding value to the shadows of the pandemic. From decorated face masks, drawings and murals, to jewelry and sculptures, heres a few works of art that fall witness to this historical time.

Wash your damn hands

Locally known for her blood art, El Paso native, Juice Martinez, was in the midst of inspiration when creating these fun and humorous drawings that summarize the year of 2020 in a nutshell. With drawings such as the globe that reads 2020 catching on fire, handwashing, to hand-shaking death, the artist created this collection of images that were inspired by the pandemic.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B97XwuUhpOw/

It is more of a means of giving people a smile in the midst of such a serious situation, shared the artist.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fejBPhZhM/

Bathe your hands

Finding humor in human behavior during the pandemic, UTEP Alumna, Ruby Franco got inspired when creating, The Perfect Duo, and Bathe your Hands, a set of drawings that depict the hoarding witnessed during the crisis. These drawings are simply just a way of me highlighting the humor of our behavior during the crisis such as overbuying, said Franco who featured her drawings on her Instagram profile dedicated for her artwork, sketchjamz.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-QrQm2BFAW/

The idea of a hand taking a bath just seemed like the ultimate exaggeration of washing your hands, I thought it was fun and it got the point across quite literally.

Bathe your Hands

Artifacts of Isolation

UTEP drawing major, Marlene Garcia used a 20-gauge silver-craft wire, toilet paper, and earring hooks to create these quirky toilet paper earrings that were inspired by the students metals assignment prompt and the pandemic. We had to come up with three pieces of jewelry to represent various rooms and places; one of them being the bathroom, said Garcia. Plus, to revive the time when people were going crazy for toilet paper, when looking at my piece I hope people can remember those moments and have a laugh.

The pair of earrings were featured on Instagram by Artifacts of Isolation, a collaboration between the San Diego State and UTEP metals program in which they feature student artwork made during isolation. I see it as a reaction to the quarantine and a way to leave a mark for history, said Garcia.

20-gauge Silver-craft Wire Toilet Paper Inspired Earrings

Girl with the blue surgical mask

Based on the 1665 painting by Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeers Girl with a pearl earring, the England-based, street artist, Banksys parody dubbed, Girl with pierced eardrum, receives a new update. The mural, which is located at the artists hometown, Bristol, was updated to the coronavirus era with the addition of a blue surgical mask. It is unknown on whether the artist himself or somebody else attached the mask, since Banksys identity is kept anonymous.

Banksys Girl with a Pierced Eardrum is updated with the addition of a surgical mask

A symbol of loyalty turned into sign of present times

The iconic statue of Hachiko was built to honor the loyalty of the dog who waited outside the Shibuya station in Tokyo, Japan, for his owner every day for nearly 10 years, not knowing the man died at work. The anniversary of Hachikos death took place in April 8, and a memorial service had been planned but was canceled due to Covid-19 safety protocols.

Bouquets of flowers were placed beneath the statue and a person even placed a mask over the dogs snout which has been removed various of times by management. However, people keep coming back to place a face mask on the statue as a reminder for people to wear their mask.

Symbol of loyalty turned into a sign of the times.

As Sora News 24 wrote, Let his perseverance be an example for you, if a dog can wait 10 years for his owner, surely we as humans can last a couple of months staying at home.

Luke Jerram unveils new glass sculpture dedicated to research

British installation artist Luke Jerram has created a glass sculpture in tribute to the pandemic, which was commissioned eight weeks before the crisis by a University in America to reflect their current and future research. This artwork is a tribute to the scientists and medical teams who are working collaboratively across the world to try to slow the spread of the virus. It is vital we attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus by working together globally, so our health services can manage this pandemic, said the artist on Glass Microbiology.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B91bpBBBSAd/

Coronalisa

The UB Post shared an article on the Indian Council for Cultural Relations who announced it would be holding a COVID-19 themed global art competition. The article featured a collage titled, Coronalisa, which was done by graphic designer, Kasia Kosar, which depicts Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa wearing a face mask along with images of soap bars, the hands from Michelangelos Creation of Adam and the coronavirus cell.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9mcwo_laTl/

Jaqueline Martinez may be reached at [emailprotected]

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Art during a pandemic: How artists are responding to COVID-19 - The Prospector

Human Behavior

Whats in a nudge? The Manila Times – The Manila Times

WHEN things get better we want them now, dont we? and feeling like some semblance of normal times has returned, perhaps we can look back and see how overrated the feeling of fear has been.

Fear has kept us from knowing what this pandemic is really all about. Life has been hard; and people who, with reason, feared the new virus have made it harder.

We are unable to ask in detail how people who died from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) coped with the disease up to the last minute that they were able to tell their stories because we fearedgetting infected ourselves. We did not even think about forensic examination of as many samples of Covid-19 cadavers as we should, lest we unbundle the spread of the virus even more, opting instead not to waste a second in sending them to cremation.

If fear had not crippled us, perhaps we would know by now that all it takes to arrest the contagion is a nudge; that mass morbidity is best managed at home with the help of grasses and herbs that can easily be found in many backyards. We would know that quarantine regulations are mostly baseless and the bleeding economy they dragged out of the running with them is an unnecessary casualty. Isnt it madnessthatsomebody got killed as a result of enforcing checkpoints?

We would know that face masks are equally overrated; that they help accumulate the elevated levels of carbon dioxide in front of our nostrils instead of keeping our mouths and noses free from hostile airborne invasion.

And so the brainstorming over what ifs goes on. Some ideas have already taken shape.

If this thoroughly devastating global experience has any redeeming value, if something good can come out of this pandemic, it might be one that helps mold human behavior.

The United Nations, for example, has documented cases on behavioral insights that aim to design more effective responses to Covid-19. Below is an excerpt of a UN report:In the Arab States region, behavioral insights (BI) have been a long-standing favorite intheUnited Nations Development Programs (UNDP) toolbox of innovation methodologies contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Now, UNDPcountryoffices are looking to BI to inform their responses to Covid-19. UNDP Sudan is busy running a range of perception surveys to better understand consumer behaviour and using these findings among others to develop behaviorallyinformed messages to limit panic-buying.

UNDP Egypt is partnering with telecommunication companies to send out SMS messages encouraging positive behaviors linked to: i) Covid-19 hygiene practices; ii) physical distancing; iii) countering the spread of misinformation; and iv) staying at home. UNDP Kuwait is exploring the use of behavioral insights to address the mental health vulnerabilities laid bare by the pandemic with a particular focus on addressing domestic violence. What these interventions recognize is that information and awareness are crucial, but in and of themselves may not be as effective as we would hope. Making sure we respond to peoples inherent cognitive biases matters, particularly in the midst of an infodemic a proliferation of information that makes it difficult for people to distinguish reliable sources.

Led by UNDP Lebanon, several online forumsand surveys have been conducted to facilitate consensus building on Covid-19-related behavioral barriers and possible nudges. The report continues: A nudge, in the words of Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, is any aspect of the choice architecture that alters peoples behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives. Sounds complex, but a nudge can be something as simple as placing hand sanitizer dispensers in more accessible spots or drawing attention to them through visual cues.

Takeaways from these exercises to which many other countries or communities can relate include the following:

Use influencers and community leaders to deliver messages more impactfully. For example, UNDP Somalia has mobilized its community of Somali storytellers to produce videos, animations and photos that are informing the public about how to protect themselves and others from infection. UNDP Lebanon hired service providers to record how-to videos on handwashing and to encourage a sense of responsibility vis-a-vis others. These initiatives are helping to localize key messages, to brand desirable behaviors as the social norm, and to make the threat more palpable. This is known as the bandwagon effect if we perceive that others are increasingly engaging in a behavior, we become more likely to do so ourselves even if it is not something we would normally consider.

Evoke emotion, create a sense of pride around helping to protect ones family and community. This appeals to the affect heuristic whereby our decisions are very often driven by our emotions even when we think we are motivated by logic.

Remind people of all the things they can do from home, including available e-services and the various ways to connect with friends virtually. Reminders give salience to the desired behavior and have been shown to be effective nudges.

Public behavior compliant with World Health Organization guidance has been recognized as a critical element in reducing virus transmission. Behavioral insights can complement more restrictive policy measures with a deeper understanding of how people make decisions. In times of crisis, we cannot rely on business as usual, let alone on rational reactions.

The social context of countries like the Philippines that have redeveloped a liking for authoritarian tendencies and have therefore become more dependent on authoritative figures (not necessarily the law) to shape social order, might be a little different. But the point of BIs and nudges is that it often takes more than authoritative figures and the law to influence human behavior (especially when there is no CCTV or when the police are out of sight, LOL). It is about culture. We need to know who we are, and start building nudges from there.

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Whats in a nudge? The Manila Times - The Manila Times

Human Behavior

WNY needs to test, trace and follow the protocols – Buffalo News

We can thank public health officials and the medical industry for the fact that testing for the novel coronavirus is now widely available in New York State.

Two other major tests, drawing as much from psychology as from epidemiology, remain for the rest of us to pass. First, can we maintain the practices of social distancing and wearing masks to minimize the spread of Covid-19?

Second, can businesses, retail stores, restaurants and anywhere else people gather engender a sense of confidence among their workers and members of the public that their environments are safe?

Reopening the Western New York region is in the hands of each individual, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul told The News. Hochul is in charge of the regions recovery. People need to continue social distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing. Essential workers, those they live with and anyone showing symptoms or exposed to someone with the virus should get tested for Covid-19. Its free.

For anyone in those categories, Erie Countys Health Department has a searchable map of testing sites on its website. Niagara County residents have the option of a drive-thru testing site at Niagara County Community College. Covid tests are also available in Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties.

Erie County received 100,000 antibody tests, and will have appointments available in June. Antibodies show whether someone has already been infected with Covid-19. Its believed they provide immunity against the disease, though researchers are not sure how long the immunity lasts.

Test and trace is the mantra ringing throughout the state. Big Tech is getting involved, though old-fashioned legwork will play a bigger role in contact tracing here.

Google and Apple last week announced the roll-out of their jointly developed technology that health authorities can use to build contract tracing apps, which can notify users if they have been exposed to someone who tested positive for coronavirus.

The apps, which can use Bluetooth signals from mobile devices to identify those who have been exposed to Covid-19, raise privacy concerns over government agencies having access to data from our smartphones. New York State is sticking to its plan to put an army of human contract tracers to work, but that doesnt mean we wont be tracked by tracing apps. Even if Big Brother is not watching, Big Business likely will be.

The private sector is where the devices will make their mark. Technology firms are racing to build contract tracing apps or wearables they can sell to companies, who can use them as a tool to instill confidence in their employees that its safe to return to work.

Employees already surrender some layers of privacy to whomever they work for. Having their phones ping information about possible exposure to Covid-19 is peeling away one more layer, a worthwhile trade-off for soothing their fears about being able to safely enter the workplace.

In Erie County, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals is trending downward, County Executive Mark Poloncarz said over the weekend. That puts the county on track toward the second phase of reopening.

McKinsey and Co., the management consulting firm, published an article last week urging businesses to think of reopening not as a phase, but a time to think about developing a new muscle for handling change.

The muscle has to be a fast-twitch one, characterized by a willingness to change plans and base decisions on hypotheses about the future supported by continually refreshed microdata about whats happening, for example, in each retail location, the company said. And the muscle also needs some slow-twitch fibers to set long-term plans and manage through structural shifts.

As businesses of all kinds develop those new muscles, to welcome back employees and lure back their customers, the rest of us need to do our parts to allow our region to fully reopen.

What we have controlled in terms of expanding testing and getting contact tracers, we have but what I cant control is human behavior, Hochul said. Thats why I need the help of this community.

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WNY needs to test, trace and follow the protocols - Buffalo News

Human Behavior

Cyr column: Life and disease – and fear – Jackson County Newspapers

Columns share an authors personal perspective.*****

The media COVID-19 focus continues, even as we begin to reopen and return to a more normal existence. To provide context, media talking heads often mention the devastating Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

The reference ignores health challenges over the intervening decades. This is strikingly similar to superficial discussion of the international financial crisis of 2007-2008, often described as the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In both the economic crash of a decade ago and the current public health challenges, descriptions of the past often ignore important developments between the earlier time cited and the present. That is revealing.

Consider the decades between the onset of the Great Depression and the financial crash early in the current century, which resulted from casino-capitalism style speculation. In the 1970s, a destructive threat faced the international economy - stagflation, meaning high inflation combined with high unemployment. Earlier, professional economists especially in the academic world had confidently predicted this devastating combination could not occur.

A belief based on the Phillips Curve, which indicated historically there was a direct tradeoff between inflation and unemployment, turned out to be mistaken regarding future developments. Once again, as through history, collective human behavior undermined assumptions based on selective evidence drawn from the relatively recent past.

During the 1960s, rapidly escalating U.S. federal spending and fiscal deficits brought on the curse of relentlessly rising prices, and the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) oil embargo and extreme price increases of 1973 and 1979 fueled the financial flames. High and rising unemployment failed to provide the sort of relief expected by acolytes of the Phillips Curve.

High oil costs rapidly spread through other parts of the economies of industrialized nations generally, and growth stagnated. This continued through the decade. Paul Volcker, nominated by President Jimmy Carter to head the Federal Reserve Board, finally broke the back of the inflation beast with restrictive monetary policy and high interest rates. Significant strong economic growth followed.

Before the stagflation decade, flu pandemics plagued the United States and many other nations.

During 1957-1958, the Asian Flu was a major public health problem. The pandemic originated in China, as the misnamed Spanish Flu of 1918 probably did as well.

The Hong Kong flu came to the United States in September 1968 and spread rapidly. Troops returning home from service in the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia introduced the virus.

President Lyndon B. Johnson was among the many who became severely ill as a result.

Approximately 100,000 Americans and an estimated one million people worldwide died from the Hong Kong flu. This was far less than the estimated 675,000 Americans and 50 million people worldwide who perished from the 1918 flu.

The 1968-1969 U.S. flu illness and death rates were roughly comparable to what is occurring now. Mercifully, young people appear to be relatively immune to COVID-19. That was not the case with these earlier pandemics.

Yet there were no mass isolations, government restrictions or media obsessions. People generally viewed disease as a part of life. The scourge of polio, which devastated children, was only defeated in 1955 with the Salk vaccine. The last case of smallpox in the U.S. was in 1949.

The good news is collectively we are so secure that anything less is a shock. The bad news is that we are extremely vulnerable to fear.

Fear can kill an individual, institutions and eventually a society.Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of After the Cold War (NYU Press and Macmillan). Contact acyr@carthage.edu.

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Cyr column: Life and disease - and fear - Jackson County Newspapers