Email)">
11:30 - 12:30
Invited Paper Session
Room: GASP
Chair:
Britta Gauckler, Eurostat, Luxembourg, (Email)
Discussant:
Patrizia Collesi, Istat - Italy's National Institute of Statistics, Italy, (Email)
On data literacy in the context of rational ignorance – some evidence from the Eurobarometer survey
Lyubomira Dimitrova, (Email)
Sofia University, Department of Public Administration, Sofia
As the amount of data we generate increases exponentially, so does the demand for the ability to analyses it. As Wolff et al. [1] describe it, ensuring that every citizen possesses the required skills to interpret data, to understand its limitations and to be able to use it is a must in this context. Schield [2] adds to this argument, as data literacy, along with information and statistical literacy are the three pillars of critical thinking. Therefore data literacy is an important factor for active political participation and appropriate reaction to propaganda and fake news, which rely mainly on emotions and subjective interpretations. Despite the existence of various programs aiming to promote data and information literacy poll results still show a rather unsatisfying state and there is a popular explanation to that. According to rational ignorance theory, when the cost of acquiring information is greater than the benefits to be derived from the information, it is rational to be ignorant. [3] Usually this approach is used for analyzing voting behavior and the general assumption is that being informed about the political agenda for each and every candidate requires too much effort, therefore the voter will choose her candidate based on other, less time consuming criteria.


Reference:
IPS05-003
Session:
Statistical and data literacy
Presenter/s:
Lyubomira Dimitrova
Presentation type:
Oral presentation
Room:
GASP
Chair:
Britta Gauckler, Eurostat, Luxembourg, (Email)
Date:
Wednesday, 13 March
Time:
11:30 - 12:30
Session times:
11:30 - 12:30