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mdmarques.com
mat marques, ph.d.
@mdmarques.com
2.5K followers 450 following 520 posts
bicycles, coffee, and social psychology.
researches the causes and consequences of #conspiracytheories
he/him. woiworung land.
https://mdmarques.com
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mdmarques.com
mat marques, ph.d. @mdmarques.com · Dec 4
The effect of scientific conspiracy theories on scepticism towards biotechnologies

excited to see this #conspiracytheories paper out w/ collaborators @scicomguy.bsky.social, Art Stukas, & Jim McLennan

Will write a 🧵 soon but for now here's the #openaccess link

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Abstract Many conspiracy theories implicate scientists and science. We investigated the impact of exposure to scientific conspiracies about biotechnologies. Across three preregistered online studies (Ns = 1,000), participants who read information about conspiracies involving agribiotechnology companies or biobank scientists were more likely to endorse conspiracies. Other effects of exposure to conspiracy information were mixed. In Study 1, reading about an agricultural biotechnology conspiracy had a small significant effect on reducing intentions to eat genetically modified food. In Study 2, exposure to a conspiracy involving biobank scientists decreased support for biobanks, mediated by decreased trust in biobank scientists. In Study 3, this conspiracy had no effect on wider beliefs of the role of science in society (science populism), nor support of genetically modified food-promoting policies. Overall, we found that exposure to conspiracies involving scientific claims increased conspiracy belief endorsement and can further negative effects. However, the effects of conspiracies on science populism appear limited.
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
dairymannz.bsky.social
Well worth 60 seconds of your time! 😂😂
February 12, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
brendannyhan.bsky.social
The history books will remember this one
nytimes.com The New York Times @nytimes.com · 21h
Breaking News: The Trump administration repealed the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life and well being, meaning that the EPA can no longer regulate them. nyti.ms/4rSszQu
February 12, 2026 at 11:04 PM
mdmarques.com
#auspol
February 12, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
paleofuture.bsky.social
It’s happening again.
World's Dumbest People Think They Can Solve the Nancy Guthrie Ransom Case With Grok
gizmodo.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
cghlewis.bsky.social
dplyr 1.2.0 was released last week and since I use {dplyr} a lot in my work, I wanted to take some time to try some of the new functions.

This post provides some supplemental examples of the new functions, beyond what is provided in the new Posit materials.
#rstats

cghlewis.com/blog/dplyr_u...
Trying out dplyr 1.2.0 | Crystal Lewis
Updating existing dplyr code in my workflow with new dplyr updates
cghlewis.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
reddishraven.bsky.social
Vale, Jon Kudelka.

And as always, Fuck Cancer.
February 9, 2026 at 1:55 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
brendannyhan.bsky.social
the chaos that agents are about to unleash as they are increasingly used by people with diminishing technical competence is going to be incredible. will be car crashes everywhere. this guy is a VC!
dancow.bsky.social Dan Nguyen @dancow.bsky.social · 4d
VC, founder, dumbass
@Nick_Davidov Asked Claude Cowork organize my wife's desktop, it stated doing it, asked for a permission to delete temp office files, I granted it, and then it goes "ooops" Turns out it tried renaming and accidentally deleted a folder with all of the photos my wife made on her camera for the last 15 years. All photos of kids, their illustrations, friends' weddings, travel, everything. It's not in trash, it was done via terminal It's not in iCloud, it already synced the new file structure. She didn't have Time Machine. Disc recovery tools can't see anything. I called Apple and they pointed me to a feature in iCloud allowing to retrieve files that were saved before but are no longer on iCloud Drive (they keep them for 30 days). I'm now watching it load tens of thousands of files. I nearly had a heart attack. Nick Davidov • @Nick_Davidov VC, founder, DVC.ai - backing repeat founders with a community of 200 engineers. e/acc/OSS. Perplexity, Higgsfield, Animation, Etched. Husband to @msdavidova
February 9, 2026 at 3:14 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
anthonymoser.com
i feel compelled to remind everyone that chatgpt/LLMs are functionally the *opposite* of an actual expert.

the more your problems are unusual or novel, the more likely LLMS are to be wrong. they are least helpful when it's most important
a table labeled "How common is your problem, how helpful is the response?" There are three columns labeled common, rare, and novel and two rows labeled Actual Human Expert and LLM. Common problem, human expert: helpful Rare problem, human expert: more helpful Novel problem, human expert: most helpful Common problem, LLM: helpful Rare problem, LLM: unhelpful Novel problem, LLM: harmful
March 19, 2025 at 3:14 PM
mdmarques.com
good morning! here's a new preprint led by @matthewmatix.bsky.social on a fascinating idea about sincere responding on #conspiracybelief studies. together a bunch of us (it's all Matt) take a look at whether we can identify sincerity and whether it distorts known effect sizes

osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
February 8, 2026 at 11:13 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
clarekelly.bsky.social
Chatbots offer a magnificent bribe - a fast, frictionless route to information that bypasses the discomfort of learning. In this op-ed, we describe this as a Faustian bargain, in which we trade away what it means to be human & universities trade away their value
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Learning is complex, messy, emotional: AI can’t replicate that
ChatGPT and other AI tools may seem irresistible. But educators should beware, as they could end up trading away the thing that gives them value — the rich experience of slow learning
www.irishexaminer.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
julieleask.bsky.social
This is bad for public health.
lenasun.bsky.social Lena Sun @lenasun.bsky.social · 7d
We had devastating cuts to @washingtonpost. Our health team of 14 lost 9 reporters yesterday despite it being listed as part of the Post’s new focus.
But I still have my job. Along w/a core team, we are still dedicated to covering public health, holding the powerful to account.
February 5, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
timothyjgraham.bsky.social
Excellent research out of Monash, led by @markandrejevic.bsky.social.

79% of adults (n=1,598) surveyed support the government’s under-16 social media ban

www.monash.edu/news/article...
4 in 5 Australian adults support social media ban for kids
A new survey shows almost four out of five Australian adults support the Australian government’s social media ban for children under 16.
www.monash.edu
February 4, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
julieleask.bsky.social
Where Are We At With Vaccinations? Why people don't vaccinate - from the time of Jenner to now. My podcast interview with David Curnow. www.wawawpod.com/vaccinations/
Julie Leask on Vaccination Insights
Discover insights from Julie Leask on how to tackle vaccine hesitancy.
www.wawawpod.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
johnholbein1.bsky.social
Are female economists treated differently than males in academic seminars?

These authors wanted to know whether gender shapes how scholars are treated when presenting research.

So they built a massive dataset of 2,000+ economics seminars, job talks, and conference presentations from 2019–2023...
February 3, 2026 at 8:54 PM
mdmarques.com
unbelievable. a superhuman effort with so much riding on the line. I am lost for words.

"I was speaking to his father, and I said ‘he must be a strong swimmer’, and he said ‘they just finished the vacational swimming and he failed’, and I said ‘well, make sure you get the teacher to ring me.'"
Boy swims four hours to shore to save family swept out to sea
A 13-year-old boy has been hailed a hero after swimming four hours through rough seas to get help for his mother and two siblings, who were swept out to sea on an inflatable paddleboard in WA's South ...
www.abc.net.au
February 3, 2026 at 8:22 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
melodytaba.bsky.social
New paper out ✍️

We reviewed 48 #COVID-19 science translation RCTs and found a range of strategies & #BehaviourChange techniques in interventions.

Studies were heterogenous…but using credible sources & interactive formats were effective for science translation

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Science translation strategies to the public during health emergencies: A systematic review of RCTs
Effective science translation is essential during public health emergencies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly evolving research had to be transla…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
katestarbird.bsky.social
Trump is working hard to set/reinforce a frame that connects immigration, financial fraud, & election fraud. He and the right wing propaganda machine will keep producing “evidence” to fit this frame, then use it to justify attempts to suppress voters, kick voters off rolls, and delegitimize results.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10d
Trump: "Minnesota is a mess. There's something in the water up there. I won the 3 three times but I got no credit for it. It's a rigged state. Really rigged badly w/ the Somalians, and the Somalians & the theft. We gotta get 'em out, most of them. 92% don't work. Many of them drive Mercedes-Benzes."
February 2, 2026 at 7:34 PM
mdmarques.com
my day just got way better as I realised I am working on a manuscript that I might be able to call:
"Okay Boomer, there may be secret nefarious plots by a coalition of actors"
February 1, 2026 at 11:54 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
petarlukic.bsky.social
Thank you, @markrubin.bsky.social, for sharing our paper!

Others, please have a look at our paper where we discuss a bias in research of (dis)trust in science!
markrubin.bsky.social Mark Rubin @markrubin.bsky.social · 22d
"There is an asymmetry in the study of trust in science: instead of examining the full spectrum from extreme distrust to extreme trust, it is heavily skewed towards the distrust end."

By Petar Lukić and @iriszez.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1007/s111...
This paper highlights an ideological neglect in the scientific community’s study of trust in science. While science skepticism (e.g., science denial, anti-scientific conspiracy theories, belief in pseudoscience) has deservedly received vast attention, the opposite extreme - uncritical trust in science (scientism) - is largely overlooked. Scientism idealizes science as all-powerful, capable of establishing absolute truth and solving all problems, while simultaneously exhibiting an unwillingness to accept criticism of its limitations. Despite being notably under-researched, rare findings suggest scientistic beliefs share a similar cognitive footprint with anti-scientific beliefs, being positively related to dogmatism and negatively to cognitive reflection and general cognitive abilities. Outcomes of this uncritical trust include vulnerability to “scientific signaling”, i.e., to meaningless claims using quasi-scientific language or overestimating data value due to irrelevant illustrations or formulae. Furthermore, blind trust can lead to societal polarization, with those who uncritically trust science and scientists being prone to supporting punitive measures against science skeptics. This ideological neglect is potentially driven by scientists’ self-defensive motivations, despite recognizing its contradiction to science’s core principle of organized skepticism. An integral approach to studying trust in science is proposed, with epistemic and political implications. These suggest studying similarities between trust and distrust in science, and urging for critical engagement with science, acknowledging its entanglement with economic and political interests. Practical recommendations include thorough conceptual and empirical exploration of uncritical trust, moving beyond simplistic “trust us” messaging and ensuring scientific authority remains accountable and open to scrutiny. #PhilSci #SocialPsyc #MetaSci #AcademicSky
January 30, 2026 at 6:40 PM
mdmarques.com
which rating should I add more weight to? also verified vs all audience has a large divide
January 31, 2026 at 7:33 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
ruralanarchy.bsky.social
Windows eventually went to a much more blue homescreen around Win2K. Win2K was still great, but that foretold of the downfall of Windows. When Windows had this color, the world was right.
djlink.bsky.social David Amador @djlink.bsky.social · 15d
recorded a Windows 95 full disk defrag to soothe your timeline.
January 30, 2026 at 1:10 AM
mdmarques.com
for those following news about the Nipah virus, this reporting appears to be reasoned and less alarming than quite a few stories out there

link here too: archive.is/JgugC
NZ health authorities monitoring deadly virus outbreak in India
Two people in West Bengal have the Nipah virus, spread from fruit bats to humans.
www.nzherald.co.nz
January 30, 2026 at 12:45 AM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
lebassett.bsky.social
This is so unhinged
"He told me that he doesn't understand what's wrong with Minnesota. 'I don't know what's wrong with you people,'" Walz said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with MS NOW senior national and political correspondent Jacob Soboroff. "I said, 'Nothing's wrong, Mr. President. We're one of the most effective states and one of the best places to live? "And he told me, 'Well, look, Tim, we did this in New Orleans, we did it in Louisville, there's no problems? And I said, 'You didn't kill anybody in Louisville or New Orleans. And the operation here looks very different from that.? "And then he told me it was successful in Venezuela," Walz said.
January 29, 2026 at 9:34 PM
mdmarques.com
nice to be part of this multidisciplinary and international team led by Justin Phillips (nz), @timgravelle.bsky.social (ca), @acarson.bsky.social & me investigating whether facebook's 3rd party fact-checking increases #conspiracybelief

TLDR; it doesn't really.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Figure 1. Treatment and control images Image on the left shows mobile phone on facebook page with a section indicating false information checked by independent fact-checkers blurring out a photo. Image on the right is control image, of a facebook login screen. Figure 2. Simple slopes, Facebook fact-check treatment, conspiracy mentality, and ideology. This analysis indicated that our fact-check treatment increases perceptions of Facebook-related conspiracy beliefs, but only among participants who score highest on conspiracy mentality and who also identify as very conservative. The simple slope for this group is positive and significant (b = 0.079, s.e. = 0.040, p = 0.049). When either (or both) conspiracy mentality or ideology are at different values, the effect of the Facebook fact-check treatment is not significant (see Figure 2). Figure 3. Simple slopes, Facebook fact-check treatment, conspiracy mentality, and party identification This analysis indicated that our fact-check treatment increased perceptions of Facebook-related conspiracy beliefs, but primarily among Independents who either scored high or scored low on conspiracy mentality (see Figure 3). The fact-check treatment pushes these two groups in opposite directions: while Independents in the control condition closely resembled Republicans, they diverged substantially when exposed to the Facebook fact-check treatment. Specifically, those scoring highest on conspiracy mentality were more likely to agree with the statement that Facebook is manipulating the public through fact-checks (b = 0.181, s.e. = 0.077, p = 0.019), while those who scored lowest were less likely to agree with such a belief (b = −0.315, s.e. = 0.110, p = 0.004).
January 29, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Reposted by mat marques, ph.d.
wolftickler2000.bsky.social
I’m a fan of the Hoodoo Gurus magical music.

Now I’m an even bigger fan.

From their FB page:

#auspol
Hoodoo Gurus We were disgusted to hear that one of our songs was played by a bunch of wannabe fascists yesterday (One Nation). Like most Australians, we have always been appalled by Pauline Hanson and the toxic nonsense she spouts. This is our message to her and her followers: don't play our music, don't listen to our band, do not pass go! We want nothing to do with you. In fact, we wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.
January 27, 2026 at 4:38 AM