Rhetoric Review Jan 2022

Rhetoric of Social Statistics: Statistical Persuasion and Argumentation in the <i>Lumosity</i> Memory Wars

Candice Lanius University of Alabama in Huntsville

Abstract

The Lumosity games and subsequent “memory wars” illustrate the rhetorical power of statistics in public discourse. Defenders of Lumosity build upon discursive traces based in societal fears and arguments based in “science” supported through statistics and experimentation. Detractors of Lumosity argue that their experiments are faulty. A close rhetorical reading reveals that certain commonalities exist across defenders and detractors alike. Looking at the inventional strategies of the statistical analyst as rhetor demonstrates how statistical tools are granted agency to determine research outcomes. Displacement of rhetorical agency has ramifications for understanding popular scientific discourse and making decisions as a society.

Journal
Rhetoric Review
Published
2022-01-02
DOI
10.1080/07350198.2021.2002070
Open Access
Closed
Topics
quantitative research argument

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

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    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
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CrossRef global citation count: 1 View in citation network →

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