Meaning of Woozle effect | Babel Free

Definitions

The phenomenon whereby frequent citation of earlier publications leads to a mistaken public belief in something for which there is no evidence, giving rise to an urban myth.

Equivalents

Examples

“One general problem is what [Beverly] Houghton (1979) calls the "Woozle Effect" (based on a Winnie the Pooh story). The "Woozle Effect" begins when one investigator reports a finding, such as Gelles's (1974) report that 55 percent of his sample of families reported one instance of conjugal violence in their marriage. The investigator may provide qualifications to the findings. [...] In the "Woozle Effect," a second investigator will then cite the first study's data, but without the qualifications (such as done by Straus, 1974a). Others will then cite both reports and the qualified data gain the status of generalizable "truth."”

“Faulty science is seen in the "woozle effect," where questionable research findings become "established facts" despite being based on an unsatisfactory methodology. A cyclical dynamic is set in motion. If more blacks are reported as abusive, this is then reflected in incidence data (of reported cases), and later can be misinterpreted as a "characteristic" of child abuse. A stereotype results, and blacks are more likely to be diagnosed and reported as abuse cases.”

“Slavish worship of "political correctness" is the death of scientific progress and is the worst form of mind control. It brings about stagnation and stifles creativity. It also contributes to the Woozle effect as suffered by Winnie the Pooh and his research assistant, Piglet. [...] Readers are encouraged to challenge and explore, to resist the tendency to fall victim to the Woozle effect as they search for answers.”

“What is measured after the violence occurs may not have existed beforehand. The infamous woozle effect appeared for reports of attitudes to violence.”

CEFR level