Why We Need Humane Education: Study Shows People Are Motivated to Avoid Becoming Informed Citizens

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via Creative Commons.

Many people, especially those new to changemaking, think that "If only people knew what was happening, they'd [start doing x or stop doing y]." The supposition is that if people were only informed about the impact of their choices, they'd choose differently.

But a study published last month in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology offers important insights for humane educators and activists: When people feel uniformed "or unable to understand important social issues," -- especially those they perceive as complex -- rather than their lack of knowledge motivating a proactive search for more information, their ignorance, as the study authors say, tends to "breed more ignorance." The authors used five different studies to illustrate their premise, which is that lack of knowledge about a particular issue can:

a) foster feelings of dependence on the government [or others perceived as qualified], which will
b) increase system justification and government [or "expert"] trust, which will
c) increase desires to avoid learning about the relevant issue.


In their words: "...when an important issue is cast as increasingly complex, people will respond by psychologically 'outsourcing' the issue to the government (Kay et al., 2008), causing them to, in turn, feel more dependent on the government, place more trust in the government, and, ultimately, avoid behaviors (such as learning about the issue) that could shatter this faith in the government."

The goal of the study isn't to paint people (Americans in this case) as ignorant or stupid or unwilling to be informed; rather it highlights the many psychological mechanisms we may use to protect ourselves and to cope with distressing realities, and what characteristics make some people more likely to see out information and others to avoid it. The study also points out that in today's society, there is so much information to understand and address that we have had to "forfeit a certain amount of autonomy to have these burdens placed into systems of power composed of knowledgeable others."

Read the complete study. (I recommend reading at least the outline of the theory and the implications and future directions at the end.)

Although more research in this area is needed, the conclusions of this study are important reminders to humane educators and activists that just providing information isn't enough to motivate positive change; and that what works for some people won't work for others. It also highlights the importance of encouraging people to critically analyze information and potential bias from "expert" sources, such as government or industry entities.

~ Marsha

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