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Kalypso Iordanou, Professor of Psychology at UCLan Cyprus and Director of the Thinking Lab, recently delivered a keynote address at the SIG 20 & 26 Conference 2024, part of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). As a key collaborator of the SMIDGE project, Iordanou’s presentation focused on the critical challenges posed by emerging technologies and their impact on human reasoning and decision-making.
Her keynote, titled “Think and Think About Thinking: The Power of Developing Argumentative and Meta-Level Reasoning in Confronting the Challenges of Today’s World,” highlighted the need to enhance human reasoning skills to safeguard democratic values and promote informed decision-making in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Drawing from empirical studies, network analysis and focus groups, Iordanou presented a multidimensional approach to fostering sound reasoning, evidential standards and public trust in science. She emphasised the role of key actors such as journalists, scientists, and AI developers in shaping how knowledge is produced and disseminated, stressing the importance of supporting individuals' argumentative reasoning and metacognitive competencies.
Iordanou’s research demonstrates that purposeful discourse and reflection are effective methods for promoting reasoning, epistemic standards, and metacognitive control over personal beliefs. She shared findings from microgenetic studies that illustrate how individuals can improve their ability to construct and evaluate arguments through engagement in argumentation. This approach is particularly significant in resolving divergent views on controversial issues.
In addition to her research on reasoning, Iordanou and her team are conducting surveys, focus groups and interviews as part of the Smidge Project to assess the impact of extremist narratives on public discourse. She holds a PhD in Psychology from Columbia University, specialising in Argumentation, Metacognition and Epistemic Beliefs.
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