Infamication
Infamication is a proposed composite bias in which stigma is attached to a person, claim, or source so that the argument can be dismissed by association before it is tested.
| Infamication | |
|---|---|
| Field | Cognitive psychology; rhetoric; social stigma |
| Author | Andrew Lehti |
| Status | Proposed composite bias |
| Also called | Imposed Infamication |
| Related framework | Cognitive Impasse |
| Related concepts | Ad Hominem, Source Attribution Bias, Dismissal Bias, Selective-Mindedness |
Infamication describes the process of discrediting a claim by associating the claimant with a stigmatized label, group, or category. Evaluation shifts from content to reputational hygiene: the audience is encouraged not to touch the claim because the person has been marked as contaminated.
Within Cognitive Impasse, Infamication protects belief by making inquiry socially costly. If the source can be made infamous, the claim can be avoided without analysis.
This differs from legitimate credibility assessment. Credibility assessment checks evidence, method, and reliability. Infamication uses stigma as a shortcut to non-engagement.
See also
References