Curiosity Brews - When Stories Beat Science: Why Anecdotes Outsell Evidence

Welcome to Curiosity Brews!

Join us for an engaging evening where makers, trailblazers, practitioners, and obsessive deep‑dive thinkers share their most captivating stories at your local bar in Houston!

Hosted by Curiosity Brews.

🗓️ Date: January 13, 2026

🕡 Time: 6:30 PM

📍 Location: To Be Announced

📚 Talk: "When My Stories Beat Your Science: Why Anecdotes Outsell Evidence"

🎤 Speaker: Adam K. Fetterman, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of the Personality, Emotion, and Social Cognition lab at the University of Houston

Think you're immune to science denial? Think again. We all do it—and the reason might surprise you. Join psychologist Dr. Adam Fetterman to discover why your own life experiences might be your biggest blind spot when it comes to accepting scientific facts.

Have you ever dismissed a research finding because it didn't match your personal experience? You're not alone—and you're not being irrational. You're being human.

In this engaging talk, Dr. Adam Fetterman explores the fascinating psychology behind science denialism, revealing how the conflict between statistical averages and individual experiences creates cognitive dissonance that we often resolve by simply... rejecting the science.

Drawing from his published research, Dr. Fetterman will unpack:

• Why "seeing is believing" makes us trust our own experiences over data
• How misunderstanding statistics fuels skepticism of scientific findings
• The hidden cognitive biases that make personal anecdotes more compelling than evidence
• Why psychological science faces unique skepticism compared to other scientific fields
• Real-world implications for climate change, public health, and other critical issues

This isn't just about other people's science denial—it's about understanding our own. Whether you're a science enthusiast, educator, or simply curious about how your mind works, this talk will change how you think about thinking.

Grab a drink, meet curious minds, and explore interesting ideas at Curiosity Brews!

AGENDA

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Talk begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up