Evidence Alberta
Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Evidence Alberta, Educational Research Center, Calgary, AB.
Our mission is to create an Alberta in which consulting accurate, clear, relevant and publicly available evidence is the first step in every important decision.
We generated a heck tonne of data from our first month in operation, so we're taking a break to sift through it. We'll be back soon, and even better!
Are there people who take advantage of our Biases? Yes! Loads of people! Companies, politicians, even everyday people all do it. But by learning about Media, we can stop them in their tracks! BRAIN POWER!!!
Why does my brain take shortcuts? It's faster! But not always better. Evolution made us great at running from tigers, but not running towards our really important homework. Ugh.
Who takes advantage of people's Biases? All sorts of people! Advertisers who want your money. Politicians who want your vote. Anybody who wants to make us think a certain way, or pay attention, or even to NOT pay attention. Sometimes, people who know about Media are more interested in influencing you with it than telling the truth. But you can stop them with YOUR media literacy! With just your brain! BRAIN WARRIORS!!!
What is "Confirmation Bias?" It's when our brain chooses to only see or think about things we agree with!
Why does my brain take shortcuts? Your brain has evolved over millions of years to solve problems in the fastest, easiest way it can. Even if it isn't the best way. If there's a tiger chasing you, you don't have time to think! You just have to RUN! That's why your brain makes shortcuts.
What is "Confirmation Bias?" It's when our brain chooses to only see things that agree with - or "Confirm" - our Biases. If someone told me: "Ice cream is poison!" I probably wouldn't believe them. I like ice cream too much! That information doesn't "Confirm" my Biases, so I'm ignoring it.
How can my Bias hurt me? Biases can be wrong. If it makes you believe something untrue, your Bias could really hurt you. You might be biased against vegetables, but if you don't eat them, you won't stay healthy!
How can my Bias hurt people? Biases can be too general, or just plain wrong. If you believe your Biases, you're not always believing something that's true. Sometimes, it's just your brain taking a shortcut.
How can my Biases hurt me? Bias is natural, and everyone has it. But it can make us believe things that aren't true. It can make us believe that something good is bad, or that something bad is good. What if I was so biased against vegetables, I started to think they were poison? Time to "Check my Bias" and ask my doctor… ugh, they said I need those vitamins! Ooookaay.
What is "Checking your Bias?" It's when you ask: Did a bias make me do that? Checking your Bias is a good thing to do every now and then. It helps you know what you're doing intentionally, and what was just a habit.
How can my Biases hurt people? Bias is natural, and everyone has it. But it can make us believe things that aren't true. If your bias is about a whole group of people, that can hurt them. If you see images of people wearing hats and stealing things, you might start to think that all hat-wearers steal. But that's not true. If you act on it, you might hurt someone just for wearing a hat.
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