The Vulnerability of Experimental Findings to Misunderstanding, Misuse, Spin, and the Streetlight Effect

Abstract

This chapter examines why the results of basic income experiments are so easily misunderstood, and, therefore, vulnerable to spin, sensationalism, and other forms of misuse. These problems exist because of the inherent complexity of the material, the differences in background knowledge of the people involved, and the political nature of the issue.