Common: being wrong. Less common: admitting it

“A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake," by Confucius  

Science now confirms that Confucius knew what’s up. New research from the University of Houston reveals that, in the field of science, scientists who admit that they were wrong about a prior research finding are perceived as more trustworthy and it increases the public's trust in science and to some extent their support for science funding. 

In a second finding, the truth team, led by Adam Fetterman, associate professor of psychology, this time examining college professors, found that when they admitted they were wrong, students rated them higher in warmth and competence, as well as teacher effectiveness. 

Among scientists 

“Admitting one’s research findings are wrong involves admitting a potential instance of incompetence, which can keep scientists from engaging in wrongness admission. However, wrongness admission can yield favorable perceptions,” reports Fetterman in Public Understanding of Science. 

But admitting to these intellectual errors, reversing a prior factual argument or previously held belief can be scary because it could be perceived as an admission of incompetence regarding the issue in question. In five experiments the team tested whether wrongness admission yields higher perceived trustworthiness in the scientist and trust in science and discipline-specific research as well as public funding support for the scientist, science and discipline-specific research. 

In one experiment, 500 participants read a fabricated article about a scientist whose prior research had failed to replicate in an investigation by an independent scientist from a different university. Then they read three possible responses from the scientist: 

1. “In light of the evidence, it looks like I was wrong about the effect.” 

2. “In light of the evidence, I am not sure about the replication study. I still think the effect is real.” 

3. “I have no comment regarding the replication study.” 

“Scientists who engaged in wrongness admission (vs. refused or did not comment) were rated as more trustworthy, as evinced by higher scores on expertise, integrity and benevolence,” said Fetterman. “Perceived trustworthiness mediates the link between a scientist’s intellectual humility (signaled by their wrongness admission) and the public’s trust in and support for funding for scientific research.” 

In the classroom 

The team also tested whether professors who admit they were wrong promote positive perceptions from students. In a word, yes. 

“Professors viewed as more willing to engage in wrongness admission were rated higher in communion and competence as well as effectiveness as an instructor and potential as a research mentor,” reports Fetterman in Journal of Positive Psychology.  

“These findings hold social and pedagogical implications for intellectual humility among university professors.” 

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