Psychiatrist who championed 'gay cure' admits he was wrong

Explorer · 05-20-2012, 04:53 PM

Dr Robert Spitzer apologises for 'fatally flawed' study, published in 2001, which claimed gay people could be 'cured' if properly motivated.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/he...cure.html?_r=1

A decade later, researcher apologizes for study suggesting gays can go straight with therapy - The Washington Post

How One Flawed Study Spawned a Decade of Lies - Forbes

It's pretty interesting to see him willing to repudiate his former work. That's science, I guess, although clearly the original study was flawed, and was likely accepted due to his authority, which is also supposedly screened out when using the scientific method.

However... what will be interesting will be the reactions of the religious and conservative people who have a vested interest in the study being true. Science is able to discard old paradigms, theories and ideas when they are replaced. Given how long ideas like creationism have remained part of conservative American politics, and how disproven studies have lingered in that field, I suspect this study will similarly remain at the forefront of their thinking.

Your thoughts?

Stealthdjentstic · 05-20-2012, 04:56 PM

It wont affect those who were citing it in the first place. They'll just replace it with some other ridiculous "study".

The Uncreator · 05-20-2012, 07:08 PM

Respectable on his part, I'll give him that.

Jakke · 05-20-2012, 07:45 PM

very scientific of him, only that it was about 40 years after the rest of the developed world had reached the same conclusion. Still, a good example of science in progress.

Waelstrum · 05-20-2012, 08:16 PM

I doubt this will change much. He'll be ignored by the few who took him seriously, who will move on to some equivalent wrong (or corrupt) scientist. People who were already aware shall continue to ignore him, pausing momentarily to acknowledge that it takes guts to admit you're wrong, particularly on such a highly politicised topic.

Explorer · 05-20-2012, 08:55 PM

I agaree that a lot of conservatives and religious sorts won't abandon their views, but without "scientific" backing for praying (or sciencing) away the gay, it will be harder and harder for the fringes to sway the middle of the road.

One thing which polls have shown over time is that talking about an issue like gay rights often means a shift in those who had previously been against them. Knowing that someone is gay makes those issues more real, and makes it hard for someone to come up with rational arguments against withholding rights from that person.

Similarly, ending the conservative/religious smokescreen of "It's a choice" will make it harder to continue supporting what those people want.

decypher · 05-21-2012, 07:36 PM

...and I was just about ready to turn my computer and music room into a nursery. dammit!

highlordmugfug · 05-21-2012, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by decypher

...and I was just about ready to turn my computer and music room into a nursery. dammit!

Semichastny · 05-21-2012, 07:49 PM

American Conservatives have an extremely difficult time understanding the difference between fact and opinion, this will change almost nothing.

highlordmugfug · 05-21-2012, 07:52 PM

Crazy religious homophobes use "scientific sources" that have been proven false, shown to be flawed, that had little to no actual rigor put into the methods, too small sample sizes to be relevant, etc all the time, so I'm sure the original work the man did will STILL be used, and if anything at all about their argument changes, it will be a small addendum about how the psychiatrist that "proved their point" eventually became one of them damn pinko commies.

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05-20-2012, 04:53 PM	#1
Explorer He seldomly knows... Join Date: May 2009 Location: Formerly from Cucaramacatacatirimilcote... Posts: 3,695 Thanked: 40 Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Psychiatrist who championed 'gay cure' admits he was wrong Dr Robert Spitzer apologises for 'fatally flawed' study, published in 2001, which claimed gay people could be 'cured' if properly motivated. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/he...cure.html?_r=1 A decade later, researcher apologizes for study suggesting gays can go straight with therapy - The Washington Post How One Flawed Study Spawned a Decade of Lies - Forbes It's pretty interesting to see him willing to repudiate his former work. That's science, I guess, although clearly the original study was flawed, and was likely accepted due to his authority, which is also supposedly screened out when using the scientific method. However... what will be interesting will be the reactions of the religious and conservative people who have a vested interest in the study being true. Science is able to discard old paradigms, theories and ideas when they are replaced. Given how long ideas like creationism have remained part of conservative American politics, and how disproven studies have lingered in that field, I suspect this study will similarly remain at the forefront of their thinking. Your thoughts? Durero likes this. If you don't care enough to research your own question, why should anyone else care more? "Pay no attention to his long winded posts... (Explorer) seldomly knows what he's talking about." Adam Of Angels "Actual knowledge and a google bookmark are very different things." Anonymous neg-repper

05-20-2012, 04:56 PM	#2
Stealthdjentstic Banned Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canadia Posts: 19,978 Thanked: 338 Feedback Score: 10 reviews	It wont affect those who were citing it in the first place. They'll just replace it with some other ridiculous "study". TheHandOfStone, highlordmugfug and Nimgoble like this.

05-20-2012, 07:08 PM	#3
The Uncreator Control The Sun Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: St. Pete Posts: 916 Thanked: 31 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Respectable on his part, I'll give him that. Gothic Headhunter likes this. L A S C A I L L E 'S ☼ S H R O U D Progressive Cosmic Death Metal SoundCloud ☼ Facebook

05-20-2012, 07:45 PM	#4
Jakke Alex Jones plz Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: In a van... DOWN' BY THE RIVER! Posts: 3,452 Thanked: 90 $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Jakke is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ Feedback Score: 0 reviews	very scientific of him, only that it was about 40 years after the rest of the developed world had reached the same conclusion. Still, a good example of science in progress. Member of the Injustice League with Pooluke41, -42 and BrainArt I am Dr. Disappointinator, after an accident with a radioactive school teacher I now possess the ability to instantly crush all hopes and desires of any individual at any given time Emotions are for women, and gay children Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat The beauty of a living thing is not the atoms that go into it But the way those atoms are put together -Carl Sagan

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05-20-2012, 08:16 PM	#5
Waelstrum All Fourths Advocate Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,123 Thanked: 4 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I doubt this will change much. He'll be ignored by the few who took him seriously, who will move on to some equivalent wrong (or corrupt) scientist. People who were already aware shall continue to ignore him, pausing momentarily to acknowledge that it takes guts to admit you're wrong, particularly on such a highly politicised topic. AxeHappy likes this. I'm not a hipster, I just act like it ironically. Learning is metal as ..... - SchecterWhore

05-20-2012, 08:55 PM	#6
Explorer He seldomly knows... Join Date: May 2009 Location: Formerly from Cucaramacatacatirimilcote... Posts: 3,695 Thanked: 40 Feedback Score: 2 reviews	I agaree that a lot of conservatives and religious sorts won't abandon their views, but without "scientific" backing for praying (or sciencing) away the gay, it will be harder and harder for the fringes to sway the middle of the road. One thing which polls have shown over time is that talking about an issue like gay rights often means a shift in those who had previously been against them. Knowing that someone is gay makes those issues more real, and makes it hard for someone to come up with rational arguments against withholding rights from that person. Similarly, ending the conservative/religious smokescreen of "It's a choice" will make it harder to continue supporting what those people want. AxeHappy and PortalNathrakh like this. If you don't care enough to research your own question, why should anyone else care more? "Pay no attention to his long winded posts... (Explorer) seldomly knows what he's talking about." Adam Of Angels "Actual knowledge and a google bookmark are very different things." Anonymous neg-repper

05-21-2012, 07:36 PM	#7
decypher SS.org Regular Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 404 Thanked: 9 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	...and I was just about ready to turn my computer and music room into a nursery. dammit! highlordmugfug likes this.

05-21-2012, 07:49 PM	#9
Semichastny SS.org Regular Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 506 Thanked: 0 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	American Conservatives have an extremely difficult time understanding the difference between fact and opinion, this will change almost nothing. highlordmugfug, AxeHappy and Nimgoble like this.

05-21-2012, 07:52 PM	#10
highlordmugfug themuthaphukkindeath Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: _ Posts: 4,014 Thanked: 47 $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $highlordmugfug is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ Feedback Score: 18 reviews	Crazy religious homophobes use "scientific sources" that have been proven false, shown to be flawed, that had little to no actual rigor put into the methods, too small sample sizes to be relevant, etc all the time, so I'm sure the original work the man did will STILL be used, and if anything at all about their argument changes, it will be a small addendum about how the psychiatrist that "proved their point" eventually became one of them damn pinko commies. SchecterWhore, Explorer and AxeHappy like this.

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