Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.
Can evidence change belief? Reported mobile phone sensitivity following individual feedback of an inability to discriminate active from sham signals.
Nieto-Hernandez R, Rubin GJ, Cleare AJ, Weinman JA, Wessely S · 2008
View Original AbstractScientific evidence showing inability to detect phone signals didn't reduce symptoms in people claiming electromagnetic sensitivity.
Plain English Summary
Researchers tested whether people claiming sensitivity to mobile phone signals could actually detect when phones were on versus off, then told participants their results to see if accurate feedback would change their symptoms. Even when told they couldn't actually detect phone signals, participants' sensitivity symptoms and beliefs remained unchanged six months later. The study suggests that providing scientific evidence alone may not be enough to help people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity reconsider their symptoms.
Study Details
In this study, we tested whether providing individuals, who described being sensitive to mobile phone signals, with accurate feedback about their ability to discriminate an active mobile phone signal from a sham signal had any impact on their subsequent symptom levels or their perceived sensitivity to mobile phones.
Sixty-nine participants who reported sensitivity to mobile phones took part in a double-blind, place...
Fifty-eight participants (84%) received feedback and participated in the 6-month follow-up. No signi...
The provision of accurate feedback was insufficient to change attributions or reduce symptoms in this study. However, an overtly negative reaction to feedback was not observed among most participants, and some participants were willing to consider that factors other than electromagnetic field may be relevant in causing or exacerbating their symptoms. Discussing possible psychological factors with electromagnetic hypersensitivity patients may be beneficial for some.
Show BibTeX
@article{r_2008_can_evidence_change_belief_3273,
author = {Nieto-Hernandez R and Rubin GJ and Cleare AJ and Weinman JA and Wessely S},
title = {Can evidence change belief? Reported mobile phone sensitivity following individual feedback of an inability to discriminate active from sham signals.},
year = {2008},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399908001700},
}