Knowledge Revision Research Articles

The inhibitory impact of collaboration on the continued influence effect of misinformation.

The continued influence effect (CIE) of misinformation refers to the persistence of misinformation's impact on memory and inference even when individuals are aware of a retraction. This study examined whether collaborative processes affect the CIE and investigated the underlying mechanisms through three experiments. Experiment 1 explored the general impact of collaboration on the CIE. Experiment 2 further dissected collaboration into turn-taking and free collaboration conditions, assessing their effects on the CIE at various recall intervals. Building on these findings, Experiment 3 delved into the mechanisms driving the differential effects of turn-taking and free collaboration on misinformation correction. Results revealed that turn-taking collaboration consistently mitigates the CIE, while the effect of free collaboration on misinformation correction is moderated by recall time. This variation is attributed to differences in re-exposure, cross-cuing, and forgetting across collaboration types. The present study contributes empirical support to the Knowledge Revision Theory of the CIE.

Student perspectives on student-led family medicine clinics in Qatar: a descriptive qualitative study

BackgroundStudent-led clinic is an educational-professional training environment where students are leading the care of patients under the supervision of licensed health care professionals. This study aims to explore medical students’ experiences in leading family medicine clinics in Qatar.MethodsThe study used a qualitative descriptive method. To collect the data, the researchers have used semi-structured interviews. To recruit students, a convenience sampling strategy was used by sending a call to participate to all students who completed the rotation and met the inclusion criteria. An inductive thematic analysis was employed to data analysis.ResultsTen students participated in the study. Data analysis revealed six themes. These are: Student led clinic as transitional and transformative stage, Challenges faced by students, coping strategies, protective factors, implications of the experience and students’ reflections for future rotations. The study revealed that students experienced a mixture of anxiety and excitement during the transition to leading clinics. Challenges included patient-related challenges such as language barriers, challenges related to personal skills such as time and knowledge, and institutional challenges that included limited supervisor availability and balancing academic responsibilities with clinic duties. Coping strategies included continuous knowledge revision, seeking advice from colleagues, and employing creative tools to overcome language barriers.ConclusionLeading family medicine clinics has an impact on students such as enhancing their time management, diagnostic abilities, communication skills, and confidence. Support from supervisors, team members, patients, and colleagues play a crucial role in students’ experiences. This transitional experience supports the shift from self-perception as students perceiving themselves as physicians.

Knowledge revision processes during reading: How pictures influence the activation of outdated information.

Outdated information (i.e., information that is not or no longer accurate) continues to be automatically activated during reading and can hinder learning processes. Thus, it is important to understand which factors influence the activation of outdated information and, therefore, knowledge revision processes. In three online experiments, we investigated how illustrating updated or outdated information via pictures influences the activation of outdated information. In Experiments 1 (N = 421) and 2 (N = 422), we varied whether participants read texts containing outdated information that was later updated (outdated text) or texts containing only updated information (consistent text). In addition, the updated information was or was not illustrated by a picture. In Experiment 3 (N = 441), participants read outdated texts, and we varied whether the outdated, the updated, or no information was illustrated. In all experiments, we measured reading times for a target sentence referring to the updated information and the sentence following the target sentence. Results showed that target sentences' reading times were faster for illustrated than for non-illustrated texts (Experiments 1 and 2). Moreover, reading times were longer when the outdated information was illustrated than when the updated information was illustrated (Experiment 3). These results suggest that pictures overall facilitate cognitive processes during reading, but their content matters: Pictures showing the updated information had a greater impact on reading times than pictures showing the outdated information. The results extend existing theories on knowledge revision but also reading comprehension, by demonstrating how pictures might influence cognitive processes during reading.

Dynamic source credibility and its impacts on knowledge revision.

Corrections to readers' misconceptions should result in higher belief when information sources are of high credibility. However, evaluations of credibility may be malleable, and we do not yet fully understand how changes to a source's credibility influence readers' credibility evaluations and knowledge revision outcomes. Thus, in two experiments, we examined how updating a source's credibility (Experiment 1: initially neutral sources later updated to be high-, low-, or neutral-credibility sources; Experiment 2: initially high- or low-credibility sources later updated to be low- or high-credibility sources) influenced knowledge revision and source credibility evaluations after readers engaged with refutation and non-refutation texts. Results showed that readers revised their credibility judgments from neutral-, high-, and low-credibility initial evaluations, indicating that source judgments are malleable rather than fixed. In addition, refutations from sources that are later revealed to be of high credibility can facilitate revision of both knowledge and initial source credibility evaluations.

A Theory of Knowledge Revision: The Development of the KReC Framework

A Theory of Knowledge Revision: The Development of the KReC Framework

LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING PROFESSION SPECIFIC TRANSLATION TO STUDENT TEACHERS OF ENGLISH ON THE TOPIC OF TEACHERS AND LEARNERS: NEW ROLES AND COMPETENCES.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING PROFESSION SPECIFIC TRANSLATION TO STUDENT TEACHERS OF ENGLISH ON THE TOPIC OF TEACHERS AND LEARNERS: NEW ROLES AND COMPETENCES.

The reduction of ill-posedness of the inverse heat transfer problem in rotating disc cavities using the wall temperature characteristics as the priori knowledge

Solving the heat conduction equation using surface measurement temperature as boundary conditions to obtain surface heat flux is an ill-posed inverse heat transfer problem, in which small temperature errors can create large uncertainties in heat flux. This paper proposes a RBF (Radial Basis Function) + BP (Back Propagation) neural network approximation method that uses the wall temperature characteristics as priori knowledge to reduce the ill-posedness of the inverse heat transfer problem in rotating disc cavities of aero-engines. The wall temperature characteristics are described using first-order derivative, which are discussed and obtained through analytical solution and fluid-thermal coupling numerical simulation. Bayesian inference theory is used to construct neural network training objective function with regularization term and the RBF + BP neural network approximation method with uncertain regularization coefficient is proposed. Numerical experiments were conducted based on numerical simulation data to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that the method can effectively suppress the ill-posed nature of the inverse heat transfer problem and can reduce the heat flux relative error level by 1 ∼ 2 orders of magnitude compared with several traditional data fitting methods commonly used in rotating disc cavities. The method of densifying measurement points combined with priori knowledge revision near the air impact point can effectively capture the local heat flux characteristics caused by airflow impact. The RBF + BP approximation method can reduce the demand for measurement points by approximately 44 ∼ 60 % under the error of 3σ = 0 K ∼ 0.9 K compared with Bayesian inference method.

Identifying key features of digital resources used during online science practicals.

As in our everyday lives, we use digital elements as part of formal and informal education. To serve their educational purpose well, systematic research is desirable to identify and measure their characteristics. This study focuses on science practicals, which are complex and vary in organizational settings and specific arrangements, including usage of digital elements. We describe the digital resources on which the online instruction of science practicals during the COVID-19 forced lockdowns was built, and their key characteristics were identified. Data were collected from science teachers in Slovakia, Czechia, Slovenia, France, and Spain. The teachers shared the web resources they used and that they would recommend, together with a description of the resources. We recorded 89 inputs representing 50 unique resources. Teachers preferred free resources, mostly for knowledge revision, and newly discovered 36% of them due to forced distant teaching. The best evaluated resources were those supporting interaction (especially among peers), focused on teaching subjects and/or ICT, ready to use, and with a clear structure. The resource most frequently mentioned and used in more than half of the countries was PhET (Interactive Simulations for Science and Math) which provides free simulations of scientific principles. Other characteristics mentioned in the literature (e.g., supporting creativity and independent solving, connecting different levels of organization, authenticity, flexibility) were not that important for the overall rating.

Generative processes and knowledge revision

Which learning processes best support revision of educationally-relevant misconceptions in college students? In this study, we investigated the generative process self-derivation through memory integration, the integration of multiple facts to generate novel, never-directly-taught information. Specifically, we examined whether self-deriving correct information supported revision of misconceptions above and beyond an active, yet non-generative, learning process: rephrasing directly-provided correct information. We found that misconception revision occurred across both conditions, but at higher rates in the rephrase condition. However, the two learning processes led to equal success in revising misconceptions when only correct, generative self-derivation trials were considered. Thus, correctly generating one’s own information was critical for success in the self-derivation condition. These findings contribute to our understanding of generative learning processes such as self-derivation. The results also offer insight into scaffolding misconception revision, particularly highlighting the benefit of directly exposing learners to corrective information.

A Background Knowledge Revising and Incorporating Dialogue Model.

Currently, dialogue systems have attracted increasing research interest. In particular, background knowledge is incorporated to improve the performance of dialogue systems. Existing dialogue systems mostly assume that the background knowledge is correct and comprehensive. However, low-quality background knowledge is common in real-world applications. On the other hand, dialogue datasets with manual labeled background knowledge are often insufficient. To tackle these challenges, this article presents an algorithm to revise low-quality background knowledge, named background knowledge revising transformer (BKR-Transformer). By innovatively formulating the knowledge revising task as a sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) problem, BKR-Transformer generates the revised background knowledge based on the original background knowledge and dialogue history. More importantly, to alleviate the effect of insufficient training data, BKR-Transformer introduces the ideas of parameter sharing and tensor decomposition, which could significantly reduce the number of model parameters. Furthermore, this work presents a background knowledge revising and incorporating dialogue model that combines the background knowledge revision with response selection in a unified model. Empirical analyses on real-world applications demonstrate that the proposed background knowledge revising and incorporating dialogue system (BKRI) could revise most low-quality background knowledge and substantially outperforms previous dialogue models.

Cause typicality and the continued influence effect.

A large body of research has focused on whether and how readers update their knowledge of events when an initial piece of causal information is corrected. These studies have indicated that corrections can reduce, but do not eliminate, readers' reliance on the initial cause when drawing inferences or making decisions about the events (i.e., the continued influence effect). Additional studies suggest that supplementing a correction with an alternative cause can further reduce reliance on discredited initial causes. In three experiments, we interrogated the importance of cause typicality for the generalizable utility of these correction strategies by manipulating the typicality of initial and alternative causes. We found evidence that participants showed greater reliance on a typical than an atypical initial cause both before and after correction, but no consistent evidence that this typicality impacted the effectiveness of the correction. Furthermore, the typicality of the alternative causes used to supplement a correction did not seem to matter with respect to updating. These results highlight the importance that characteristics of an initial cause can have for event encodings and corrections, identifying critical boundary conditions for understanding the effects of corrections on knowledge revision and the continued influence effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Climate change by the numbers: Leveraging mathematical skills for science learning online

The purpose of this preregistered study was to test an online intervention that presents participants with novel numbers about climate change after they estimate those numbers. An experimental study design was used to investigate the impact of the intervention on undergraduate students’ climate change understanding and perceptions that human caused climate change is plausible. Findings revealed that posttest climate change knowledge and plausibility perceptions were higher among those randomly assigned to use the intervention compared with those assigned to a control condition, and that supplementing this experience with numeracy instruction was linked with the use of more explicit estimation strategies and greater learning gains for people with adaptive epistemic dispositions. Findings from this study replicate and extend prior research, support the idea that novel data can support knowledge revision, identify estimation strategies used in this context, and offer an open-source online intervention for sharing surprising data with students and teachers.

Implementing the use of Energy Bar Charts in the framework of an Early Physics approach

Introductory college courses use the Multiple Representations (MR) method for teaching/learning energy processes. It helps students understand concepts which are challenging to learn, like energy, and to solve related problems. Although this method is well-recognised in the context of Physics Education and researchers, it is less known by high school teachers because of its limited use in Physics textbooks. We report a recent experience where we accompanied teachers in their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) revision and in the building of an innovative way of teaching using conceptual fragmentation. The assessment confirmed the teaching efficiency of using Multiple Representations tools such as Energy Bar Charts.

Making and revising predictive inferences during Chinese narrative text reading: Evidence from an electrophysiological study.

The current study employed the event-related potential (ERP) technique to investigate predictive inference revision during Chinese narrative text reading among Chinese native speakers. Experiment 1 studied predictive inference revision by ensuring high contextual constraints for activation of the primary predictive inferences. Experiment 2 inspected the effects of the weaker inference alternatives on the revision process. Longer reading time and less positive mean average amplitude with two subcomponents of P300 (P3a and P3b) in the revise condition suggest that readers could detect inconsistent information and disconfirm the incorrect predictive inferences. However, they have difficulties in either integrating the alternative predictive inferences (N400) or revising the incorrect ones (P600), especially when the alternatives are of weaker activation levels. This study supports the Knowledge Revision Components (KReC) framework by verifying remaining activation of the disconfirmed primary inferences and extends it by considering effects of competitive alternatives on the predictive inference revision process.

The psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its resistance to correction

Misinformation has been identified as a major contributor to various contentious contemporary events ranging from elections and referenda to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only can belief in misinformation lead to poor judgements and decision-making, it also exerts a lingering influence on people’s reasoning after it has been corrected — an effect known as the continued influence effect. In this Review, we describe the cognitive, social and affective factors that lead people to form or endorse misinformed views, and the psychological barriers to knowledge revision after misinformation has been corrected, including theories of continued influence. We discuss the effectiveness of both pre-emptive (‘prebunking’) and reactive (‘debunking’) interventions to reduce the effects of misinformation, as well as implications for information consumers and practitioners in various areas including journalism, public health, policymaking and education.

Correction to: KReC-MD: Knowledge Revision with Multiple Documents

Correction to: KReC-MD: Knowledge Revision with Multiple Documents

Knowledge transfer in the context of refutation texts

In this study, we examined the conditions under which readers are able to transfer revised knowledge as a result of reading refutation texts (i.e. texts that explicitly state and refute a misconception). Across three experiments, participants read refutation texts that addressed socioscientific and nonsocioscientific issues as well as transfer texts that were designed to reactivate the misconceptions addressed in refutation texts. In Experiments 1 and 2, the results indicate that reading a refutation text reduces interference from the misconception as participants read the transfer texts in close temporal distance, even when the misconception is reactivated. In Experiment 3, the results indicate that participants reading refutation texts could not transfer revised knowledge when the temporal distance between refutation texts and transfer texts increased. Students’ performance on pretest and posttest questionnaires also suggest that reading the refutation texts facilitated knowledge revision prior to transfer. We discuss the findings in the context of the Knowledge Revision Components Framework.

Promoting interest, positive emotions, and knowledge using augmented reality in a museum setting

ABSTRACT Informal learning environments, such as museums, provide unique opportunities for science learning. They are deliberately designed to impact public understanding of science and shape visitors’ attitudes and behaviors. As a developing technology, augmented reality (AR) offers the transformative potential to support museums’ educational missions by enhancing visitors’ experience, thereby creating effective conditions for learning and personalized interactions with science. We implemented an AR-enhanced exhibit at the La Brea Tar Pits (LBTP) to reduce scientific misconceptions and explore the role of interest and emotions around science and AR technology as it related to learning and knowledge revision. Using a pretest-posttest design, 62 adults completed an AR experience that addressed two scientific misconceptions related to the consistency of tar and frequency of large animal entrapment. We found that participants had significantly fewer misconceptions at posttest than at pretest. Participants also reported higher levels of interest in science content than AR technology and discriminated between emotions they experienced with regard to science content and AR technology. Feelings of curiosity predicted knowledge revision and interest in both science content and AR technology. These findings may be useful for museums and other science communicators seeking to create AR interventions that support learning and conceptual change.

Correcting Neuromyths: A Comparison of Different Types of Refutations

Research suggests that educators and students often hold erroneous beliefs about learning and brain function, referred to as neuromyths. The prevalence of these neuromyths may be problematic, leading people to spend resources on ineffective study methods and propagate misinformation. Therefore, we examined whether erroneous beliefs in neuromyths could be corrected using various forms of refutations. Across two experiments, participants viewed true and false statements (neuromyths) about learning and brain function and indicated whether the statements were true or false. Participants then received one of three types of corrections (refutation-only, refutation-explanation, refutation-explanation and image) or no correction (control). One week and 1 month later, participants again indicated their beliefs in the true statements and the neuromyths. Results showed that all three refutations were effective for correcting erroneous beliefs in neuromyths, and this corrective effect was present after 1 week and 1 month. These findings suggest that beliefs in neuromyths can be corrected and possibly lead to long-lasting knowledge revision.

Here’s Hoping It’s not Just Text Structure: The Role of Emotions in Knowledge Revision and the Backfire Effect

ABSTRACT Refutation texts are designed to facilitate the revision of inaccurate knowledge; however, studies have documented backfire effects wherein respondents become less accurate when exposed to a factual correction compared to another. Here, we explored whether epistemic emotions mediated knowledge revision or backfire processes when reading experimental refutation texts that varied by supporting information. We asked 294 online readers to report their knowledge and attitudes about genetically modified foods before randomly assigning them to one of three refutation text conditions which varied in type of supporting information. We documented relatively low knowledge (19.7%) and attitude (14%) backfire across conditions and found no evidence of backfire effects among types of supporting information. All texts facilitated knowledge revision regardless of the type of supporting information but did not differentially elicit epistemic emotions. For those who revised their inaccurate knowledge, hope and surprise mediated the knowledge revision process. However, those who demonstrated a backfire effect reported significantly more anger and confusion than readers who revised their inaccurate knowledge. Implications for research and practice are discussed.