Corona Virus and Crazy Information

Yesterday in my post, I forgot to add one of the most glaring Cognitive Biases out there when it comes to how people are reacting to the Corona Virus. In his book, Thinking Fast and Slow,  Daniel Kahnemann calls it W.Y.S.I.A.T.I. (What you See is All There Is).

We make decisions based on the information we have in front of us. Here is a nice, simple explanation for it.

Last night my husband gets a strange message from a friend of his that was forwarded from someone else forwarded from someone else forwarded from someone else who APPARENTLY is an Italian in RUSSIA. The dialogue goes something like this (roughly translated):

"I am Antonio from Italy and I live in Russia and here I am in Pharmacy (which is supposedly in Russia but is spelled PHARMACY on the sign) in Moscow and I am so surprised to see that Corona Virus has existed here for 19 years and there is vaccine for it since 18 years. HOW CAN IT BE THAT IN ITALIA so many people DIE when HERE IN RUSSIA they have cure??"

WHAAAAAAA?

So I say, are you friends with Russian Bots, honey? Because that is some wacked out crazy stuff you're getting there. Does Paolo (friend who sent it who normally sends dippy jokes on Whatsapp) think this is real? Is it really Paolo? Like, maybe you need to have a talk with him or completely eliminate him from your  life? 

This is the perfect example of when NOT to rely on the WYSIATI cognitive bias.
How many people are getting this junk and believing it?

Then, today on the front page of one of the many newspapers I obsessively click through to fill my cup up with morning angst there is a picture of blissfully ignorant spring-break-people having chicken fights on a beach in Florida surrounded by a half-moon of spectators joyfully taking in this entertaining sight in the midst of a global pandemic.

My first thought: Really? Chicken fights? They still do those? The most un-fun game in the world at the best of times... 

The photo is juxtaposed with people in full-on battle-the-virus gear in an ICU somewhere in a slide show (which means it was either the Washington Post or the New York Times) to highlight the stark contrast between the believers and the Corona Virus WHO? folks.

What would the conversation with the chicken fighters sound like?

Interviewer (crazy enough to be out instead of home like the Weather Channel people who report from the eye of a tornado): I see you are partying on the beach rather than taking the necessary precautions of social distancing in order to inhibit the spread of the Corona Virus. How do you explain your actions?

Possible Answers:

1. "I don't know anyone who has Corona Virus, so I'm ok."
2.  "We're all going to get it at some point, might as well get it over with while I'm young!"
3. "This may be the last time I can party for a LONG TIME and I want to support local drinking establishments."
4. "Corona Virus is a hoax"

Then there is the only CREDIBLE (but IMPROBABLE) answer...

5.  "I'm sorry but my pre-frontal cortex isn't quite developed enough for me to see the possible consequences of my actions. I'm a little weak when it comes to executive function. After all, I am a few years shy of 25, when I hope to reach full maturity!" 

What is the lesson here?

How about we take all of the extra time we have because we are staying home and getting our work done so much faster because we don't have to spend all day looking busy anymore and start thinking and reasoning again and making sure we have information from credible sources before we make up our minds about things?

Trust Science, people.