Shane Littrell, PhD
@metacognishane.bsky.social
https://shanelittrell.com/
Cognitive psychologist. Cornell University postdoc & researcher at Media Ecosystem Observatory. Previously UToronto (Munk School), UMiami, & UWaterloo | Bullshitology, conspiracy beliefs, political propaganda, metacognition 🧠☘️
Cognitive psychologist. Cornell University postdoc & researcher at Media Ecosystem Observatory. Previously UToronto (Munk School), UMiami, & UWaterloo | Bullshitology, conspiracy beliefs, political propaganda, metacognition 🧠☘️
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Bullshitology | Shane Littrell | Substack
Bullshitology explores why smart people can believe dumb things. Blending cognitive science, skepticism, and snark to correct our intellectual blind spots and improve everyone’s bullshit detectors. Cl...
bullshitology.substack.com
Just launched a Substack about the science of nonsense; why people believe wild conspiracy theories, fall for propaganda, and speak fluent corporate gibberish.
If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
How good is your BS Detector? Are you sure?
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
How bullshitting is like a bad hair piece
The Toupee Fallacy helps explain why you're not as good at BS detection as you think
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:46 PM
How good is your BS Detector? Are you sure?
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
How good is your BS Detector? Are you sure?
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
How bullshitting is like a bad hair piece
The Toupee Fallacy helps explain why you're not as good at BS detection as you think
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:46 PM
How good is your BS Detector? Are you sure?
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Check out my latest article, where I discuss how the Toupee Fallacy helps explain why, no matter how smart you are, you're probably not as good at spotting bullshit and bullshitters as you think.
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
Confidence interval discussion time! The perfect opportunity to repost this blog post answering the question you haven’t dared to ask: www.the100.ci/2024/12/05/w...
November 19, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Confidence interval discussion time! The perfect opportunity to repost this blog post answering the question you haven’t dared to ask: www.the100.ci/2024/12/05/w...
Facebook out here bluntly reminding me what it feels like to get older:
November 6, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Facebook out here bluntly reminding me what it feels like to get older:
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
If expertise has died, the wound was partly self-inflicted. Check out my latest article where I argue that some of today’s most popular science communicators have traded credibility for attention, sadly become BS-spewing hype machines: bit.ly/4gKsSIu
The "death of expertise" was an assisted suicide
You either die a scientific hero or you live long enough to become a firehose of bullshit
bit.ly
September 29, 2025 at 5:48 PM
If expertise has died, the wound was partly self-inflicted. Check out my latest article where I argue that some of today’s most popular science communicators have traded credibility for attention, sadly become BS-spewing hype machines: bit.ly/4gKsSIu
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
Your breakfast cereal’s origins have a link with dubious rectal therapy and a preoccupation with sexual purity.
Bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social digs into the adventures of Mr Kellogg:
buff.ly/hIgYQlI
Bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social digs into the adventures of Mr Kellogg:
buff.ly/hIgYQlI
October 12, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Your breakfast cereal’s origins have a link with dubious rectal therapy and a preoccupation with sexual purity.
Bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social digs into the adventures of Mr Kellogg:
buff.ly/hIgYQlI
Bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social digs into the adventures of Mr Kellogg:
buff.ly/hIgYQlI
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
Health misinformation has plagued us for a long time. Those who do not remember our yogurt enema past are doomed to repeat it. bit.ly/3WxXOT2
I do not recommend pumping yogurt up your butthole
Health advice based on shoving things up your non-mouth holes is generally a red flag of pseudoscience
bit.ly
October 10, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Health misinformation has plagued us for a long time. Those who do not remember our yogurt enema past are doomed to repeat it. bit.ly/3WxXOT2
Health misinformation has plagued us for a long time. Those who do not remember our yogurt enema past are doomed to repeat it. bit.ly/3WxXOT2
I do not recommend pumping yogurt up your butthole
Health advice based on shoving things up your non-mouth holes is generally a red flag of pseudoscience
bit.ly
October 10, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Health misinformation has plagued us for a long time. Those who do not remember our yogurt enema past are doomed to repeat it. bit.ly/3WxXOT2
Gee, what could go wrong?
From @theathletic.com: The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved a recommendation to allow college athletes to legally wager on professional sports.
NCAA Division I votes to allow college athletes to bet on professional sports
If Division II and Division III also vote to approve the change, the new rules will go into effect Nov. 1.
nyti.ms
October 8, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Gee, what could go wrong?
A little over a decade ago today, I was almost killed by a drunk driver on my way home from work. So, this is my annual reminder (whenever I can remember) to ask people to please not drink & drive. Smash chocolate milk or Sour Apple Ryse energy drinks instead.
October 8, 2025 at 1:38 AM
A little over a decade ago today, I was almost killed by a drunk driver on my way home from work. So, this is my annual reminder (whenever I can remember) to ask people to please not drink & drive. Smash chocolate milk or Sour Apple Ryse energy drinks instead.
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
„This happens when people who are legitimate experts in one specific scientific area suddenly start LARPing like they’re experts in every scientific area.“
If expertise has died, the wound was partly self-inflicted. Check out my latest article where I argue that some of today’s most popular science communicators have traded credibility for attention, sadly become BS-spewing hype machines: bit.ly/4gKsSIu
The "death of expertise" was an assisted suicide
You either die a scientific hero or you live long enough to become a firehose of bullshit
bit.ly
September 30, 2025 at 5:21 AM
„This happens when people who are legitimate experts in one specific scientific area suddenly start LARPing like they’re experts in every scientific area.“
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
If scientific experts have lost their authority and reputation, that is in large part the result of their own epistemic trespassing—orating confidently about topics they know little about—or peddling dubious claims, argues bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social:
buff.ly/lTHEK4b
buff.ly/lTHEK4b
October 2, 2025 at 10:35 AM
If scientific experts have lost their authority and reputation, that is in large part the result of their own epistemic trespassing—orating confidently about topics they know little about—or peddling dubious claims, argues bullshitologist @metacognishane.bsky.social:
buff.ly/lTHEK4b
buff.ly/lTHEK4b
If expertise has died, the wound was partly self-inflicted. Check out my latest article where I argue that some of today’s most popular science communicators have traded credibility for attention, sadly become BS-spewing hype machines: bit.ly/4gKsSIu
The "death of expertise" was an assisted suicide
You either die a scientific hero or you live long enough to become a firehose of bullshit
bit.ly
September 29, 2025 at 5:48 PM
If expertise has died, the wound was partly self-inflicted. Check out my latest article where I argue that some of today’s most popular science communicators have traded credibility for attention, sadly become BS-spewing hype machines: bit.ly/4gKsSIu
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
I am recruiting (Canadian🇨🇦) graduate students at York University for Fall 2026 in Social and Personality Psychology! If you are interested in misinformation, political polarization, and/or computational social science, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
September 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
I am recruiting (Canadian🇨🇦) graduate students at York University for Fall 2026 in Social and Personality Psychology! If you are interested in misinformation, political polarization, and/or computational social science, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
If you ever want to see the "Dunning Kruger Effect" in action, just do a word search for it on LinkedIn and you'll instantly find dozens (if not hundreds) of examples of people confidently trying to explain it but getting it totally wrong. More here:
jerz.setonhill.edu/blog/2020/04...
jerz.setonhill.edu/blog/2020/04...
Fake Graph: The Actual "Dunning-Kruger Effect" Is NOTHING Like I Thought It Was - Jerz's Literacy Weblog (est. 1999)
For years, I’ve been teaching a fake graph. In pretty much every course I teach, on some day when students seem discouraged or distracted, I’ll draw an X axis labeled “Experience” and a Y-axis labeled...
jerz.setonhill.edu
September 15, 2025 at 6:42 PM
If you ever want to see the "Dunning Kruger Effect" in action, just do a word search for it on LinkedIn and you'll instantly find dozens (if not hundreds) of examples of people confidently trying to explain it but getting it totally wrong. More here:
jerz.setonhill.edu/blog/2020/04...
jerz.setonhill.edu/blog/2020/04...
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
Just launched a Substack about the science of nonsense; why people believe wild conspiracy theories, fall for propaganda, and speak fluent corporate gibberish.
If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
Bullshitology | Shane Littrell | Substack
Bullshitology explores why smart people can believe dumb things. Blending cognitive science, skepticism, and snark to correct our intellectual blind spots and improve everyone’s bullshit detectors. Cl...
bullshitology.substack.com
August 5, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Just launched a Substack about the science of nonsense; why people believe wild conspiracy theories, fall for propaganda, and speak fluent corporate gibberish.
If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
On Prolific, "we estimate that about 34% of online study participants use LLMs to answer open-ended questions atleast some of the time..."
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
August 29, 2025 at 9:46 AM
On Prolific, "we estimate that about 34% of online study participants use LLMs to answer open-ended questions atleast some of the time..."
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
Bullshitologist extraordinaire @metacognishane.bsky.social notes that, alarmingly, what his custom-made Corporate Bullshit Generator produces is indistinguishable from the genuine article, and zooms in on two popular types of BS—evasive and persuasive:
buff.ly/gHZBY94
buff.ly/gHZBY94
August 28, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Bullshitologist extraordinaire @metacognishane.bsky.social notes that, alarmingly, what his custom-made Corporate Bullshit Generator produces is indistinguishable from the genuine article, and zooms in on two popular types of BS—evasive and persuasive:
buff.ly/gHZBY94
buff.ly/gHZBY94
New post is up, discussing two recent examples of organizations trying to bullshit the public. Check it out when you get time!
bullshitology.substack.com/p/down-the-c...
bullshitology.substack.com/p/down-the-c...
August 27, 2025 at 4:31 PM
New post is up, discussing two recent examples of organizations trying to bullshit the public. Check it out when you get time!
bullshitology.substack.com/p/down-the-c...
bullshitology.substack.com/p/down-the-c...
Few things smell more delicious than my kitchen when I'm making Carolina mustard sauce and Memphis BBQ sauce.
August 22, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Few things smell more delicious than my kitchen when I'm making Carolina mustard sauce and Memphis BBQ sauce.
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
How much does the environment we’re raised in change how we see the world? Wonderful piece in @sciam.bsky.social by @norabradford.bsky.social, ft. an interview with @dorsaamir.bsky.social about our work on the 'cultural byproduct hypothesis'.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/does...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/does...
Why a Classic Psychology Theory about Vision Has Fallen Apart
The downfall of a long-standing theory in psychology raises a question: How much does the environment we’re raised in change how we literally see the world?
www.scientificamerican.com
August 22, 2025 at 5:06 PM
How much does the environment we’re raised in change how we see the world? Wonderful piece in @sciam.bsky.social by @norabradford.bsky.social, ft. an interview with @dorsaamir.bsky.social about our work on the 'cultural byproduct hypothesis'.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/does...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/does...
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
Too much bullshit is being produced about the very topic of Bullshit, @metacognishane.bsky.social argues.
And he comprehensively puts us right:
buff.ly/CybLMe4
And he comprehensively puts us right:
buff.ly/CybLMe4
August 13, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Too much bullshit is being produced about the very topic of Bullshit, @metacognishane.bsky.social argues.
And he comprehensively puts us right:
buff.ly/CybLMe4
And he comprehensively puts us right:
buff.ly/CybLMe4
New Substack post is up! Check it out if you have time.
"Bullshit: What it is, what it isn't, and what everyone gets wrong about Frankfurt"
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
"Bullshit: What it is, what it isn't, and what everyone gets wrong about Frankfurt"
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Bullshit: What it is, what it isn't, and what everyone gets wrong about Frankfurt
Okay, maybe not "everyone"
open.substack.com
August 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM
New Substack post is up! Check it out if you have time.
"Bullshit: What it is, what it isn't, and what everyone gets wrong about Frankfurt"
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
"Bullshit: What it is, what it isn't, and what everyone gets wrong about Frankfurt"
open.substack.com/pub/bullshit...
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
@paulbloomatyale.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social, and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully got back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
Everyday Revenge
We are interested in stories of everyday revenge—cases where you successfully got back at someone after being wronged. Please think up an experience of when you took revenge and tell us about it.
Pl...
docs.google.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:50 PM
@paulbloomatyale.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social, and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully got back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
Reposted by Shane Littrell, PhD
The pancreatic cancer vaccine trials have been so promising, this would have been a literal life saver for so many and now its gone. I cant tell you how heart breaking this is. Horror after horror with this administration.
"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the beginning of a coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities...."
cc: Sen. Bill Cassidy
cc: Sen. Bill Cassidy
August 6, 2025 at 12:03 AM
The pancreatic cancer vaccine trials have been so promising, this would have been a literal life saver for so many and now its gone. I cant tell you how heart breaking this is. Horror after horror with this administration.