Lay theorists avoid seeking disconfirming evidence rather than falsifying hypotheses
Evidence
The conclusion from this work is that the life expectancy of a theory or view is intimately related not only to the target of the theory, but also to the activity of the lay theorist, and that such theorists act ina way which is quite removed from the stereotypical Popperian falsificationist. Rarely do they seek disconfirmation, and often they do their best to avoid it. — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 609
Categorization
Category: Factual Claims
- XREF: Connects to the reader’s Luhmann/Hardin framing: lay theory construction parallels how trust builds through confirmation, not falsification — familiarizing evidence is preferred over disconfirming.
Related
- Lay people rarely seek disconfirmation of their beliefs. (similarity 0.94)
- Truth-seeking assumptions leave people unprepared for deliberate lying (similarity 0.79)
- Scientists pursue truth by actively seeking invalidation of their beliefs (similarity 0.79)
- Verification and falsification both presuppose that truth must draw consensus (similarity 0.78)