🤔Information Processing Unmasked
Identity, Numeracy, and the Illusion of Rational Reasoning
Information Processing Unmasked: Identity, Numeracy, and the Illusion of Rational Reasoning
Infophilia, a positive psychology of information | November 23, 2024, Vol. 2, Issue 49
Cite as: Coleman, Anita S. (2024, November 23). Information Processing Unmasked: Identity, Numeracy, and the Illusion of Rational Reasoning. Infophilia, a positive psychology of information, 2 (49).
✨ Welcome, new and returning readers, to Infophilia! We’ve grown to span 30 states and a dozen countries worldwide, with 80 of you joining just in the last two weeks. I'm deeply grateful to all of you—both paid and free subscribers. Your support fuels this growing experiment and I don’t take it for granted as we build our living lab together. Thank you!
This is our space to explore infophilia—our human affinity for knowledge and connection. Think of how you feel when you finally understand a complex idea or share a fascinating discovery with a friend. That’s infophilia in action. Information and knowledge cultures can seem abstract compared to political writings and literary essays but their impact on our lives is profound. One of my goals is to translate research from neurosciences, psychology, economics, information studies, and more into insights that make a meaningful difference in how we interact with information.
Let me share a recent experience that captures why this matters. It illuminates our complex relationship with information. On my flight home, I sat beside a retired So Cal firefighter and paramedic—a thoughtful man returning from visiting his elderly parents. The parents had emigrated from Argentina, built successful lives in America, raised six accomplished children, and celebrated 70 years of marriage. Yet despite their remarkable journey, they felt deeply anxious about the future.