Biography Gale Sinatra

Dr. Gale Sinatra is a Professor of Psychology and the Stephen H. Crocker Professor of Education at Rossier. Her areas of expertise include climate science education, evolution education, learning theory, knowledge construction, conceptual change learning, literacy acquisition, assessment, and the public understanding of science.

Her recent research focuses on understanding the cognitive and motivational processes that lead to successful learning in science. Specifically, Sinatra focuses on the role of motivation and emotion in teaching and learning about controversial topics, such as biological evolution and climate change. Sinatra developed a model of conceptual change learning, which describes how motivational factors contribute to the likelihood that individuals will change their thinking about a scientific topic. Her co-authored book, _Science Denial: Why It Happens and What to Do About It,_ was published in 2021 by Oxford University Press. 

Sinatra received her B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Sinatra is the past Editor of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 15 journal, Educational Psychologist. She served as Vice President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division C, Learning and Instruction and President of APA's Division 15, Educational Psychology. She is a Fellow of both APA and AERA and a Member of the National Academy of Education. https://rossier.usc.edu/faculty-research/directory/gale-sinatra

Short Summary of the Interview

In this episode of the Sustainability Education Podcast, Gale Sinatra shares her insights on combating misinformation and myths in education, particularly regarding sustainability. She clarifies the differences between misinformation, disinformation, misconceptions, and myths, highlighting the importance of understanding these terms to address the spread of false information effectively. She discusses the psychological aspects of science denial and emphasizes the significance of (healthy) skepticism. She addresses common myths about sustainability and education, pointing out that sustainability is broader than just ecological concerns and involves human interaction with nature. Dr. Sinatra criticizes the notion of doomerism and the false dichotomy between individual actions versus systemic change in combating climate change, advocating for a balanced view that recognizes the value of both. She also tackles educational myths, such as learning styles, and the importance of debunking these misconceptions through effective strategies like refutation texts and fostering an environment of intentional conceptual change. Furthermore, Dr. Sinatra highlights the societal and institutional forces that perpetuate myths and underscores the role of trust and critical engagement in overcoming misinformation. The discussion culminates in the exploration of the future of education and myth research, particularly the challenge of confronting misinformation, and offers resources for further reading on the subject.

(Selected) References, Resources, and Persons Mentioned During the Episode

• Gale Sinatra: Gale Sinatra | USC Rossier School of Education
• Caulfield, M., & Wineburg, S. S. (2023). Verified: How to think straight, get duped less, and make better decisions about what to believe online. The University of Chicago Press.
• De Bruyckere, P., Kirschner, P. & & Hulshof, C. (2020). More Urban Myths About Learning and Education. Challenging Eduquacks, Extraordinary Claims, and Alternative Facts. Routledge.
• Ecker, U. K. H., Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Schmid, P., Fazio, L. K., Brashier, N., Kendeou, P., Vraga, E. K., & Amazeen, M. A. (2022). The psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its resistance to correction. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1, 13-29 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-021-00006-y
• Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Ecker, U. K. H., Albarracín, D., Amazeen, M. A., Kendeou, P., Lombardi, D., Newman, E. J., Pennycook, G., Porter, E. Rand, D. G., Rapp, D. N., Reifler, J., Roozenbeek, J., Schmid, P., Seifert, C. M., Sinatra, G. M., Swire-Thompson, B., van der Linden, S., Vraga, E. K., Wood, T. J., Zaragoza, M. S. (2020). The Debunking Handbook 2020. Available at https://sks.to/db2020. DOI:10.17910/b7.1182
• Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Ruscio, J., & Beyerstein, B. L. (2010). 50 great myths of popular psychology: Shattering widespread misconceptions about human behavior. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Oreskes, N., & Conway, E. M. (2010). Merchants of doubt: how a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming. 1st U.S. ed. New York, Bloomsbury Press.
• Sinatra, G. M., & Jacobson, N. (2019). Zombie Concepts in Education: Why They Won’t Die and Why You Cannot Kill Them. In P. Kendeou, D. H. Robinson, & M. T. McCrudden (Eds.), Misinformation and fake news in education (S. 7–27). Information Age Publishing, Inc.
• Van der Linden, S. (2023). Foolproof: Why we fall for misinformation and how to build immunity. 4th Estate.

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