I’ve often wondered if people look for a variety of opinions on a topic and then form their own opinion based upon this research, or whether they have their mind made up already and then look for opinion that supports this.

It’s been particularly pertinent around election time as people of various political persuasions debate with one another. I wonder how many floating voters there actually are, and how many are stuck in their ways?

Anyway, it’s on this subject that I discovered an interesting study into this topic, revealing that people tend to discount scientific research that goes against their existing belief.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123328312/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0