Scientific communication and brain branding

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Rossella Digilio
Publishing Year 2017 Issue 2017/4
Language Italian Pages 16 P. 401-416 File size 206 KB
DOI 10.3280/RIP2017-004002
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

The paper analyses scientific communication, focusing on pseudo-scientific news and programs in the field of neurosciences. Scientific communication, describing the seductive allure of neuroscience, the persuasive power of pictures, and the influence of the context in which many physicians and patients find themselves are taken into consideration. Then the analysis focused on three concerns about brain branding: the insidious effects of blurred boundaries between science and industry; the premature use of scientific findings; the misuse of neuroscience in marketing. The need to train scientists to scientific communication in stressed so to improve their capacity to be clearly understood by the audience, without spreading neuromythologies.

Keywords: Scientific communication, brain branding, neuromyths, neuroscience, marketing.

  1. Ackerman, T. F. (1982). Why doctors should intervene. Hastings Center Report, 12(4), 14-17. DOI: 10.2307/3560762
  2. Adinoff, B., & Devous, M. (2010). Scientifically unfounded claims in diagnosing and treating patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167(5), 598-598.
  3. Aguirre, G. K. (2008). The political brain. New York: The Dana Foundation, Cerebrum.
  4. Amen, D. G. (2006). Making a good brain great: The Amen clinic program for achieving and sustaining optimal mental performance. New York, US: Harmony Books.
  5. American Psychiatric Association (2006). Practice guidelines for the treatment of psychiatric disorders compendium. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
  6. Antonietti, A., & Colombo, B. (2008). Computer-supported learning tools: A bicircular bi-directional framework. New Ideas in Psychology, 26, 120-142.
  7. Antonietti, A., Colombo, B., & Di Nuzzo, B. (2015). Metacognition in self-regulated multimedia learning: Integrating behavioural, psychophysiological and introspective measures. Learning, Media and Technology, 40, 187-209. DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2014.933112
  8. Antonietti, A., Colombo, B., & Lozotsev Y. (2008). Undergraduates’ metacognitive knowledge about the psychological effects of different kinds of computer-supported instructional tools. Computers in Human Behavior, 24, 2172-2198.
  9. Antonietti, A., & Giorgetti, M. (2006). Teachers’ beliefs about psychological aspects of learning through multimedia. Computers in Human Behavior, 22, 267-282.
  10. Beck, D. M. (2010). The appeal of the brain in the popular press. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(6), 762-766. DOI: 10.1177/1745691610388779
  11. Bekelman, J. E., Li, Y., & Gross,C. P. (2003). Scope and impact of financial conflicts of interest in biomedical research: A systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 289(4), 454-465.
  12. Bloom, P. (2004a). Descartes’ baby: How the science of child development explains what makes us human. New York: Basic Books.
  13. Bloom, P. (2004b). The duel between body and soul. The New York Times, 10.
  14. Braun-LaTour, K. A., LaTour, M. S., Pickrell, J. E., & Loftus, E. F. (2004). How and when advertising can influence memory for consumer experience. Journal of Advertising 33(4), 7-25. DOI: 10.1080/00913367.2004.10639171
  15. Brem, S. K., & Rips, L. J. (2000). Explanation and evidence in informal argument. Cognitive Science 24(4), 573-604. DOI: 10.1016/S0364-0213(00)00033-1
  16. Burton, R. (2008). Brain scam. Why is PBS airing Dr. Daniel Amen’s self-produced infomercial for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease? http://www.salon.com/life/mindreader/2008/05/12/danielamen.
  17. Camba, R. (2000). Start making sense. Nature, 406(6795), 461-461. DOI: 10.1038/35020154
  18. Chancellor B., & Chatterjee, A. (2011): Brain Branding: When Neuroscience and Commerce Collide. AJOB Neuroscience, 2(4), 18-27. DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2011.611121
  19. Chatterjee, A. (2005). A madness to the methods in cognitive neuroscience?. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17(6), 847-849. DOI: 10.1162/0898929054021085
  20. Collier, R. (2009). Prevalence of ghostwriting spurs calls for transparency. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 181(8), 161-162.
  21. Colombo, B., & Antonietti, A. (2013). Naïve conceptions about multimedia learning: A study on primary school textbooks. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, article 450, 1-19 (
  22. Lombrozo, T. (2006). The structure and function of explanations. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(2), 464- 470.
  23. Colombo, B., Lissoni, M., & Antonietti, A. (2009). Do illustrated instructional books promote multimedia learning? In O. Demir & C. Celik (Eds.), Multimedia in education and special education (pp. 39-57). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
  24. Dekker, S., Lee, N. C., Howard-Jones, P., & Jolles, J. (2012). Neuromyths in education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers. Frontiers in Psychology, 3(429), 1-8.
  25. Dresser, R. (2010). Brain imaging and courtroom deception. Hastings Center Report, 40(6), 7-8.
  26. Evans, J. St. B. T., Newstead, S. E. & Byrne, R. M. J. (1993). Human reasoning: The psychology of deduction. Hove, UK: Psychology Press.
  27. Fabio, R. A., & Antonietti, A. (2002). Come bambini e adolescenti usano il computer per imparare. Ricerche di Psicologia, 25 (1), 11-21.
  28. Farah, M. J. (2005) Neuroethics: The practical and the philosophical. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(1), 34- 40.
  29. Feigenson, N. (2006). Brain imaging and courtroom evidence: On the admissibility and persuasiveness of fMRI. International Journal of Law in Context, 2(2), 233-255. DOI: 10.1017/S174455230600303X
  30. Fellows, L. K., Heberlein, A. S., Morales, D. A., Shivde, G., Waller, S. & Wu, D.
  31. H. (2005). Method matters: An empirical study of impact in cognitive neuroscience. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17(6), 850-858. DOI: 10.1162/0898929054021139
  32. Franck, G. (1999). Scientific Communication - A Vanity Fair?. Science, 286(5437), 53-55.
  33. Garner, R., Alexander, P. A., Gillingham, M. G., Kulikowich, J. M., & Brown, R. (1991). Interest and learning from text. American Educational Research Journal, 28(3), 643-659. DOI: 10.3102/00028312028003643
  34. Garner, R., Gillingham, M. G., & White, C. S. (1989). Effects of “seductive details” on macroprocessing and microprocessing in adults and children. Cognition and Instruction, 6(1), 41-57.
  35. Geake, J. (2008). Neuromythologies in education. Educational Research, 50(2), 123-133. DOI: 10.1080/00131880802082518
  36. Harp, S. F., & Mayer, R. E. (1998). How seductive details do their damage: A theory of cognitive interest in science learning. Journal of Educational Psychology 90(3), 414-434. DOI: 10.1037/0022-0663.90.3.414
  37. Hayes, B. K., Hulleat, L. A., & Keil, F. C. (2004). Mechanisms underlying the illusion of explanatory depth. Bethlehem, PA: IOED.
  38. Hensen, R. (2005). What can functional neuroimaging tell the experimental psychologist?. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 58(1), 193-233. DOI: 10.1080/02724980443000502
  39. Keil, F. C. (2005). Explanation and understanding. Annual Review of Psychology 57(1), 227-254.
  40. Kikas, E. (2003). University students’ conceptions of different physical phenomena. Journal of Adult Development, 10, 139-150.
  41. Langer, E., Blank, A., & Chanowitz, B. (1978) The mindlessness of ostensibly thoughtful action: The role of “placebic” information in interpersonal interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(6), 635- 642.
  42. Leuchter, A. F. (2009). Healing the hardware of the soul: Enhance your brain to improve your work, love, and spiritual life. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166(5), 625.
  43. Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleiinen, J., & Moher, D. (2009). The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. PLoS Med, 6(7).
  44. Lombrozo, T., & Carey, S. (2006). Functional explanation and the function of explanation. Cognition, 99(2), 167-204.
  45. Lord, C. G., Ross, L. & Lepper, M. R. (1979). Biased assimilation and attitude polarization: The effects of prior theories on subsequently considered evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37(11), 2098-2109. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.37.11.2098
  46. Lynch, Z. (2009). Neurotechnology industry 2009 report. Neuroinsights.
  47. Malka, M. E. (2008). School bullies - Is the amygdala to blame? http://brainblogger.com/2008/11/17/school-bullies-isthe-amygdala-to-blame/
  48. Marušiæ, A., & Marušiæ, M. (2000). How to help small journals become a part of the mainstream literature. Science Editor, 23(3), 81-83.
  49. Marušiæ, M., & Marušiæ, A. (2001). Good editorial practice: editors as educators. Croat Med J, 42(2), 113-20. DOI: 10.593496/42/5
  50. McCabe, D. P., & Castel, A. D. (2008). Seeing is believing: The effect of brain images on judgments of scientific reasoning. Cognition, 107(1), 343-352.
  51. Miller, A. G., McHoskey, J. W., Bane, C. M., & Dowd, T. G. (1993). The attitude polarization phenomenon: Role of response measure, attitude extremity, and behavioral consequences of reported attitude change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(4), 561. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.64.4.561
  52. Morse, S. (2006). Brain overclaim syndrome and criminal responsibility: A diagnostic note. Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law 3(9), 397- 412.
  53. Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175 – 220.
  54. Owen, A. M., Hampshire, A., Grahn, J. A., Stenton, R., Dajani, S., Burns, A. S., Howard, R. J., & Ballard, C. G. (2010). Putting brain training to the test. Nature, 465(7299), 775-778.
  55. Papp, K. V., Walsh, S. J., & Snyder, P. J. (2009). Immediate and delayed effects of cognitive interventions in healthy elderly: A review of current literature and future directions. Alzheimer’s and Dementia 5(1), 50-60.
  56. Petrovecki, M., & Scheetz, M. D. (2001). Croatian Medical Journal introduces culture, control, and the study of research integrity. Croatian Medical Journal, 42(1), 7-13.
  57. Poldrack, R. (2006). Can cognitive processes be inferred from neuroimaging data? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(2), 59-63.
  58. Poldrack, R. A. (2009). Neuroimaging: Seperating the promise from the pipe dreams. New York, USA: Dana Foundation. http://216.91.191.115/news/cerebrum/detail.aspx?id=22220
  59. Prasad, A. (2005). Making images/making bodies: Visibilizing and disciplining through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Science, Technology & Human Values, 30(2), 291-316. DOI: 10.1177/0162243904271758
  60. Racine, E., Bar-Ilan, O., & Illes, J. (2005). fMRI in the public eye. Nature Review Neuroscience, 6(2), 159-164.
  61. Racine, E., Bar-Ilan, O., & Illes, J. (2006). Brain imaging: A decade of coverage in the print media. Science Communication, 28(1), 122- 143. DOI: 10.1177/1075547006291990
  62. Racine, E., Waidman, S., Rosenberg, J., & Illes, J. (2006). Contemporary neuroscience in the media. Social Science & Medicine, 71(4), 725-733.
  63. Rips, L. J. (2002). Circular reasoning. Cognitive Science, 26(6), 767- 795. DOI: 10.1016/S0364-0213(02)00085-X
  64. Rozenblit L, & Keil F. (2002). The misunderstood limits of folk science: An illusion of explanatory depth. Cognitive Science, 92(5), 1-42. DOI: 10.1016/S0364-0213(02)00078-2
  65. Schmiedek, F., Lövdén, M., Bäckman, L., Lindenberger, U., & Schaefer, S., (2010). A theoretical framework for the study of adult cognitive plasticity. Psychological bulletin, 136(4), 659.
  66. Shafir, E. B., Smith, E. E., Osherson, D. N. (1990). Typicality and reasoning fallacies. Memory & Cognition, 18(3), 229-239. DOI: 10.3758/BF03213877
  67. Speispeillmans, G. I., Thielges, S. A., Dent, A. L., & Greenberg, R. P. (2008). The accuracy of psychiatric medication advertisements in medical journals. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 196(4), 267-273.
  68. Stossel, T. P. (2007). Regulations of financial conflicts of interest in medical practice and medical research. A damaging solution in serach of a problem. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 50(1), 54-71.
  69. Thomas, J. (1983). Cross-cultural pragmatic failure. Applied linguistics 4(1), 91.
  70. Trout, J. D. (2002). Scientific explanation and the sense of understanding. Philosophy of Science 69(2), 212-233. DOI: 10.1086/341050
  71. Trout, J. D. (2008). Seduction without cause: Uncovering explanatory neurophilia. Trends in Cognitive Neuroscience, 12(8), 281-282.
  72. Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. In Utility, probability and human decision making (pp. 141-162). Dordrecht, NL: Springer.
  73. Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1981). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. In Environmental Impact Assessment, Technology Assessment, and Risk Analysis (pp. 107-129). Heideberg, D: Springer.
  74. Weisberg, D. S., Keil, F. C., Goodstein, J., Rawson, E., & Gray, J. R. (2008). The seductive allure of neuroscience explanations. Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 20(3), 470-477.
  75. Whitson, J. A., & Galinsky, A. D. (2008). Lacking control increases illusory pattern perception. Science, 322(5898), 115-117.
  76. Willis, S. L., Tennstedt, S. L., Marsiske, M., Ball, K., Elias, J., Koepke, K. M., Morris, J. N., Rebok, G. W., Unverzagt, F. W., Stoddard, A. M., & Wright, E. (2006). Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults. Journal of the American Medical Association, 296(23), 2805-2814.
  77. Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and cognition, 19(2), 597-605.

  • Neurodidactics of Languages: Neuromyths in Multilingual Learners Antonia Navarro Rincón, María José Carrillo López, César Augusto Solano Galvis, Laura Isla Navarro, in Mathematics /2022 pp.196
    DOI: 10.3390/math10020196

Rossella Digilio, Comunicazione scientifica e brain branding in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 4/2017, pp 401-416, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2017-004002