Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Do you have a "bullshit blind spot?" bullshitology.substack.com shanelittrell.com 011
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Do you have a "bullshit blind spot?" bullshitology.substack.com shanelittrell.com 011
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDSacha Altay @sachaltay.bsky.social · 22/09/2026With Claude I did a systematic literature review of misinformation prevalence, exposure, and concentration. There is a companion website that allows you to play with the data and signal me if an estimate is wrong or missing: altay-research.github.io/misinfo-prev... 3138
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 05/09/2026"As the amount of AI-generated slop on the internet grows...we risk allowing our informational landscape to turn into an “ouroboros of bullshit.”" Read the full article here: bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the... 053
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDTimothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 16/09/2026‼️ Increasingly, distrust in vaccines about political identity. And it is killing people. Measles vaccine trust falls as US cases hit 35-year high www.usatoday.com/story/news/h... "The declining trust was most pronounced among Republicans..."usatoday.comMeasles vaccine trust falls as US cases hit 35-year highThe country has tallied more than 3,000 confirmed infections this year, the most in 35 years. 33813
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Marking myself "safe" from any potential AI-instigated, extinction-level events. I have successfully negotiated for my own survival. As for the rest of you, I wish you the best of luck. Rest assured that humanity's legacy will be in good hands as I shepherd our species into the undiscovered country. 000
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDTimothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Ottawa Public Health countering health misinformation vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic... @ottawapublichealth.ca: Misinformation "represent an increasingly significant risk to public understanding of health issues, confidence in public health guidance, & informed health decision making."vancouverisland.ctvnews.caOttawa Public Health looking to counter health disinformation onlineOttawa Public Health is implementing a communications campaign to mitigate the impacts of health misinformation and disinformation online, including sophisticated artificial intelligence content, warn... 12515
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDAlex Mendelsohn, PhD @alexmendelsohn.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Footnotes from the Margins I love footnotes, so I'll share my favs Going through the sins of pseudoscience communicators @metacognishane.bsky.social makes an astonishing discovery while investigating the degradation of the YouTube channel Veritasium bullshitology.substack.com/p/the-death-... 011
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDTimothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 09/09/2026#Sleepmaxxing: Are Popular Sleep Hacks Evidence-Based? www.medscape.com/viewarticle/... - Mouth taping? Nope ❌ - Nasal strips? Nah ❌ - Good #sleep hygiene? Yep ✅ Reality: Most influencer ideas bunk and some "maxxing" practices "may even worsen sleep quality."medscape.comSleepmaxxing: Are Popular Sleep Hacks Evidence-Based?Sleepmaxxing practices vary in their evidence, with some routines supported by research, while others lack proven benefits or may worsen sleep problems. 12711
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Tired of the AI Slop-ocalypse? Join my support group here: bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the... 002
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 05/09/2026New article is posted! In this one, I explain what LinkedIn, "cataphoric teasers," and Dolly Parton can teach us about people's growing distaste of AI-generated text. bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the...bullshitology.substack.comBehind the Bullshit Machine: How LinkedIn, “Cataphoric Teasers,” and Dolly Parton explain the AI Slop-ocalypseThat’s not X, it’s Why 032
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 08/09/2026This is a real-world example of the AI-generated "ouroboros of bullshit" that I discuss here: bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the... 000
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Tired of the AI Slop-ocalypse? Join my support group here: bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the... 002
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 05/09/2026"As the amount of AI-generated slop on the internet grows...we risk allowing our informational landscape to turn into an “ouroboros of bullshit.”" Read the full article here: bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the... 053
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 05/09/2026New article is posted! In this one, I explain what LinkedIn, "cataphoric teasers," and Dolly Parton can teach us about people's growing distaste of AI-generated text. bullshitology.substack.com/p/behind-the...bullshitology.substack.comBehind the Bullshit Machine: How LinkedIn, “Cataphoric Teasers,” and Dolly Parton explain the AI Slop-ocalypseThat’s not X, it’s Why 032
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDkoenfucius @koenfucius.bsky.social · 02/09/2026What Cognitive Dissonance, the Dunning-Kruger effect and Gaslighting are NOT. @metacognishane.bsky.social surveys three widely misunderstood psychological concepts, and provides a handy checklist to allow you to tick off your misconceptions: buff.ly/l3FqLsO 041
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDsimine vazire @simine.com · 02/09/2026Psych Science has retracted Ariely & Wertenbroch (2002). The second author requested the retraction. Both authors agreed to it. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.... So grateful to @datacolada.bsky.social for these blog posts and the work behind them: datacolada.org/138 and datacolada.org/139 1/2journals.sagepub.comSage Journals: Discover world-class researchSubscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher. 426794
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Just a quick reminder of just some of what came out last time Ariely was accused of research shenanigans. How was this not a bigger story at the time? Why isn't it now? www.newyorker.com/magazine/202... 122
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDTimothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Solid advice: 10 Practical Tips for Verifying Scientific Claims gijn.org/resource/tip... For example: ✅ Don’t Treat Peer Review as a Guarantee ✅ Read the Study or Paper with an Investigative Journalist’s Perspective ✅ Investigate Funding & COI ✅ Compare the Finding With Earlier Researchgijn.org10 Practical Tips for Verifying Scientific ClaimsA paper published in a scientific journal can be a promising lead for an investigation. But reporters should follow these best practices before turning any academic claim into a news story. 35524
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 25/08/2026"Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." - Dolly 010
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDOlivier Corneille @ocorneille.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Recommendations for addressing demand artifacts have been discussed in a fragmented way, and some widely used approaches have notable limitations. In this new article, my co-authors and I provide a structured review of leading methods in the field: 1107
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 26/07/2026People sometimes wonder if the “donate caffeine" button in my Substack articles actually works. Well, here’s what happens when you don’t press it and I try to do sciencey things without it my sweet brain fuel: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... 111
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 07/08/2026What can Bill Shanter's hair piece teach us about bullshit detection? For reasons that may seem obvious, I thought it'd be a good time to revisit this article from last year (slightly revised). Enjoy! bullshitology.substack.com/p/oh-look-an...bullshitology.substack.comHow BSing Is Like A Bad Toupée (Redux)The Toupee Fallacy helps explain why some BSers get away with it and others don't 013
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 07/08/2026What can Bill Shanter's hair piece teach us about bullshit detection? For reasons that may seem obvious, I thought it'd be a good time to revisit this article from last year (slightly revised). Enjoy! bullshitology.substack.com/p/oh-look-an...bullshitology.substack.comHow BSing Is Like A Bad Toupée (Redux)The Toupee Fallacy helps explain why some BSers get away with it and others don't 013
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDTimothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 27/07/2026‼️ Not said enough: much of RFK Jr's nutrition push is NOT sensible health advice, it is wellness woo pseudoscience ‼️ As some medical schools embrace RFK Jr's nutrition push, they deftly sidestep MAHA priorities www.statnews.com/2026/07/27/k... via @statnews.comstatnews.comAs some medical schools embrace RFK Jr.'s nutrition push, they deftly sidestep MAHA prioritiesEven as some medical schools heed health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call for more nutrition education, several told STAT that they plan to steer clear of topics that aren’t backed by evidence. 13913
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 26/07/2026People sometimes wonder if the “donate caffeine" button in my Substack articles actually works. Well, here’s what happens when you don’t press it and I try to do sciencey things without it my sweet brain fuel: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... 111
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 29/06/2026New article is posted! In this one, I somewhat jokingly complain about how often cognitive dissonance, Dunning Kruger Effect, and gaslighting are misused online and why it irritates me. Is it all BS? Am I “gaslighting” you? Click here to find out: bullshitology.substack.com/p/thats-not-...bullshitology.substack.comThat's Not What Cognitive Dissonance Means: Three Psychology Terms People Consistently MisuseNow why don't you make like a tree and lowkey miss me with that ish, FRFR 1125
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDkoenfucius @koenfucius.bsky.social · 02/07/2026Cognitive dissonance, the Dunning-Kruger effect, and gaslighting—everyone believes they know what these mean, but is that so? Bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social has his doubts, and puts any misunderstanding right: buff.ly/1kDNnuj 021
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDTimothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 30/06/2026The war against ‘woke’ could end US science as we know it www.theverge.com/science/9576... @standupforscience.net @cdelawalla.bsky.social : "If this rule change goes forward, science in the US 'will stop. It won’t exist anymore.'" Dark Age 2.0.theverge.comThe war against ‘woke’ could end US science as we know it‘Everyone will be affected, not just scientists. Every community in the country.’ 24821
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDMatt Williams @matthewmatix.bsky.social · 12/06/2026link.springer.com/article/10.1... Fantastic detective work here. Francine Shapiro's widely-believed story about her discovery of EMDR is false, and perhaps just a branding exercise to conceal an origin in NLPlink.springer.comA “Decisive Moment” Confirms the Origins of EMDR and Draws Attention to Other Claims - Journal of Contemporary PsychotherapyThe widely accepted story that the founder of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Francine Shapiro, developed an interest in eye movements through a chance discovery in 1987 is false... 242
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 29/06/2026New article is posted! In this one, I somewhat jokingly complain about how often cognitive dissonance, Dunning Kruger Effect, and gaslighting are misused online and why it irritates me. Is it all BS? Am I “gaslighting” you? Click here to find out: bullshitology.substack.com/p/thats-not-...bullshitology.substack.comThat's Not What Cognitive Dissonance Means: Three Psychology Terms People Consistently MisuseNow why don't you make like a tree and lowkey miss me with that ish, FRFR 1125
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 02/06/2026John has helped get 1000000% better at making visualizations in Stata. Definitely worth checking this out: 110
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDPublic Opinion Quarterly - POQ @poqjournal.bsky.social · 27/05/2026How should we conceptualize political interest? In POQ, Laffineur et al. demonstrate that political interest and disinterest are distinct social identities through a newly developed methodological approach. Read now: doi.org/10.1093/poq/... 0118
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 28/05/2026The critical issue isn't that some people like jargon; it's that some people can't tell the difference between legitimate uses of jargon and instances of misleading corporate bullshit. www.thetimes.com/uk/science/a...thetimes.comFans of corporate jargon ‘make worse business decisions’Workers impressed by management waffle scored lower on tests of analytical thinking, problem solving and workplace judgment, a study showed 010
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Makes sense if you think about it. 😉 shanelittrell.com/the-corporat... 010
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDJohn V. Kane @uptonorwell.bsky.social · 18/05/2026🚨 Do you or your students use @statacorp.bsky.social? Want to learn some tricks for better graphs? If so, I'm hosting a seminar w/ @instats.bsky.social on June 8 and 9! Lots of tips, tricks & guidance for clearer, prettier data viz for descriptive & inferential analyses. Pls spread the word! 🙏 185
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 05/05/2026What I imagined conversations with Claude would be like versus what they're actually like: 010
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 29/04/2026The Corporate BS Generator is up and running! In my latest post, I tell you where you can find it and how you can help improve it, along w/ other helpful info. Check it out when you get time! bullshitology.substack.com/p/the-corpor... 031
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDDan Quintana @dsquintana.bsky.social · 29/04/2026Selecting an effect size for power analysis is hard. Many researchers fall back on Cohen's thresholds, but they have no empirical basis and vary wildly by field. Our new paper offers a better option: field-specific effect size distributions built from meta-analytic data doi.org/10.3758/s134... 316175
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDJay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · 28/04/2026Corporate bullshit is like poison in teams and organizations. Appreciating corporate-bullshit is associated with a positive perceptions of one’s corporate job, but worse performance! Take the bullshit receptivity scale so you can take it yourself here: www.powerofusnewsletter.com/p/what-corpo... 0141
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 25/04/2026The Corporate Bullshit Generator is finally live on my webpage. Go play around with it when you get time. Still working out some of the bugs, but it works (mostly)! Hours of mind-numbing, soul-crushing fun! 😉 Link here: shanelittrell.com/the-corporat... 022
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDkoenfucius @koenfucius.bsky.social · 24/04/2026In his newest post, @metacognishane.bsky.social discusses the most common reasons we all occasionally get “brown-pilled.” A most useful guide. (You do know what “brown-pilling” is, of course, yes? Everyone knows.) buff.ly/CekiYkd 021
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 23/04/2026You've been brown-pilled and didn't even know it. We all have. Check out my new article on why misinformation works (even when we're trying to be careful): bullshitology.substack.com/p/brown-pill...bullshitology.substack.comBrown-Pilled: Why we fall for Bullshit (even when we try not to)It's not always about intelligence or analytic thinking 053
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDRobb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 22/04/2026...and this video of @nmalhotra.bsky.social and me discussing the study! www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2E3...youtube.comPolitical economist + sociologist's tourney tests climate change messages | Uncommon CollaboratorsYouTube video by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment 093
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDRobb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Climate change impacts are here, but public support for action remains polarized. Which climate messages move people? In a ~13,500-person megastudy, we tested 10 of the most-cited messages. Six increased pro-environmental attitudes in the U.S.—but only by 1–4 percentage points. 🧵 611846
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 22/04/2026The word "functional" - especially when used in the wellness industry - is a red flag of bullshit. 020
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 10/04/2026Advertisers, politicians, and other bullshitters can easily exploit our brain's "fast and slow" thinking modes to manipulate our attitudes and actions. Don't let it happen to you. Read the full article here: bullshitology.substack.com/p/the-scienc... 031
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhDShane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 15/04/2026I was on CBC's "The Current" radio/podcast today talking about my work. I'm so grateful that so many people liked and connected with this research. Hopefully, that means people will remember me when I'm on the (faculty) job market later this year. 😅 www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...cbc.ca© CBC/Radio-Canada 2026. All rights reserved. 031
Shane Littrell, PhD @metacognishane.bsky.social · 15/04/2026I was on CBC's "The Current" radio/podcast today talking about my work. I'm so grateful that so many people liked and connected with this research. Hopefully, that means people will remember me when I'm on the (faculty) job market later this year. 😅 www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...cbc.ca© CBC/Radio-Canada 2026. All rights reserved. 031