Inciting instead of coercing, «nudges» prove their effectiveness

A team from the UNIGE demonstrates that certain soft incentive techniques, known as «nudges», are effective in getting people to change their behaviour.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITÉ DE GENÈVE

Developed by the American economist Richard Thaler in the late 2000s, the theory behind «nudging» theory is based on the principle that our choices are not only determined by our ability to reason, but are also influenced by certain biases such as our emotions, our memories, the opinions of others or the configuration of our environment. Focusing on these elements can therefore be more effective in getting us to change certain behaviours than a ban or an awareness-raising campaign.

In the behavioral sciences, researchers call this a modification of the “choice architecture». This is done, for example, when in a company cafeteria the healthiest dishes are deliberately placed at the top of the menu to encourage customers to select the option that is most beneficial to their health, without infringing on their freedom to choose. As a result, this type of intervention is attracting increasing interest from both the scientific community and public authorities.

Over 450 strategies analyzed

Despite the growing popularity of nudges, their performances had not yet been studied in their entirety. By performing a meta-analysis (a statistical approach aimed at synthesizing the results of numerous studies), a research team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has succeeded in demonstrating the effectiveness of “nudges” and identifying the areas in which they are most relevant. «We have collected more than 200 scientific articles published over the last 15 years on the subject, which represent more than 450 ‘nudge’ strategies,» says Stéphanie Mertens, the study’s first author and a researcher at the Consumer Decision and Sustainable Behavior Laboratory of the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the UNIGE.

To carry out this study, the researchers classified the nudges described in this scientific literature into three groups: «information», «structure» and «assistance». In the first set, they grouped interventions whose objective is to inform individuals in order to motivate them to make certain choices, such as the «nutri-score» labels found on certain food products. In the second set, they grouped techniques that deal with the structure of an environment. This is the example (cited above) of highlighting certain meals in a cafeteria menu.

In the third set, they classified nudges involving a form of commitment, as in the case of a person who stops smoking and informs those around him or her. When informed, the people around him or her take on the function of a «safeguard» in the choice architecture of the abstinent smoker.

Highly effective for food choices

The scientific team concluded that all three groups of nudges are effective. They note, however, that the techniques in the second group («structure») are the most effective. «Within these groups, we also compared different areas of application, such as health, finances or energy consumption. In the end, we found that nudges work best in the area of food», explains Tobias Brosch, Director of the Consumer Decision and Sustainable Behavior Laboratory. Tobias Brosch and his team have also observed disparities in the quality of the studies produced on the subject over the years. «It is imperative that the overall study quality increases because of the impact that nudges can have on the daily lives of citizens,» he explains.

All of the synthesized data is now available to researchers. But this study is also intended to become a reference document for policymakers who wish to implement these new practices. «However, it is important to bear in mind that nudges are powerful tools, as our research shows. Nudges must therefore be used wisely and within the framework of democratic and transparent processes,» concludes the researcher.

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2107346118 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

The effectiveness of nudging: A meta-analysis of choice architecture interventions across behavioral domains

Improving reading skills through action video games

An Italian-Swiss team demonstrates children reading skills can be improved through a novel child-friendly action video game

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITÉ DE GENÈVE

Decoding letters into sound is a key point in learning to read but is not enough to master it. “Reading calls upon several other essential mechanisms that we don’t necessarily think about, such as knowing how to move our eyes on the page or how to use our working memory to link words together in a coherent sentence,” points out Daphné Bavelier, a professor in the Psychology Section of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (FPSE) at the UNIGE. “These other skills, such as vision, the deployment of attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, are known to be improved by action video games”, explains Angela Pasqualotto, first author of this study, which is based on her PhD thesis at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science of the University of Trento under the direction of Professors Venuti and De Angeli.

A child-friendly action video game to support learning

With this in mind, a video game was designed that combines action video games with mini games that train different executive functions, such as working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility, functions that are called upon during reading. “The universe of this game is an alternative world in which the child, accompanied by his Raku, a flying creature, must carry out different missions to save planets and progress in the game”, Angela Pasqualotto adds. The idea is to reproduce the components of an action game, without incorporating violence, so that it is suitable for young children. “For example, the Raku flies through a meteor shower, moving around to avoid those or aiming at them to weaken their impact, while collecting useful resources for the rest of the game, a bit like what you find in action video games.”

The scientists then worked with 150 Italian schoolchildren aged 8 to 12, divided into two groups: the first one played the video game developed by the team, and the second one played Scratch, a game that teaches children how to code. Both games require attentional control and executive functions, but in different manners. The action video game requires children to perform tasks within a time limit such as remembering a sequence of symbols or responding only when the Raku makes a specific sound while increasing the difficulty of these tasks according to the child’s performance. Scratch, the control game, requires planning, reasoning and problem solving. Children must manipulate objects and logical structures to establish the desired programming sequence.

“First, we tested the children’s ability to read words, non-words and paragraphs, and also we conducted an attention test that measures the child’s attentional control, a capacity we know is trained by action video games,” explains Daphne Bavelier. The children then followed the training with either the action video game or the control game, for six weeks, two hours a week under supervision at school. Children were tested at school by clinicians of the Laboratory of Observation Diagnosis and Education (UNITN).

Long-term improvement in reading skills

Shortly after the end of the training, the scientists repeated the tests on both groups of children. “We found a 7-fold improvement in attentional control in the children who played the action video game compared to the control group”, says Angela Pasqualotto. Even more remarkably, the research team observed a clear enhancement in reading, not only in terms of reading speed, but also in accuracy, whereas no improvement was noted for the control group. This improvement in literacy occurs even though the action video game does not require any reading activity.

“What is particularly interesting about this study is that we carried out three further assessment tests at 6 months, 12 months and 18 months after training. On each occasion, the trained children performed better than the control group, which proves that these improvements were sustained,” Angela Pasqualotto says. Moreover, the grades in Italian of the trained children became significantly better over time, showing a virtuous improvement in learning ability. “The effects are thus long-term, in line with the action video game strengthening the ability to learn how to learn,” says Daphne Bavelier.

Within the framework of the NCCR Evolving Language and in collaboration with Irene Altarelli (co-author of the article and researcher at LaPsyDE, University of Paris), the game will be adapted into German, French and English. “When reading, decoding is more or less difficult depending on the language. Italian, for example, is very transparent – each letter is pronounced – whereas French and English are quite opaque, resulting in rather different learning challenges. Reading in opaque languages requires the ability to learn exceptions, to learn how a variety of contexts impacts pronunciation and demands greater reliance on memorization,” comments Irene Altarelli. Will the benefits of action video games on reading acquisition extend to such complex learning environments as reading in French or English? This is the question that this study will help answer. In addition, the video game will be available entirely at home, remotely, as will the administration of reading and attention tests, in order to complement school lessons, rather than taking time out of school hours.

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JOURNAL

Nature Human Behaviour

DOI

10.1038/s41562-021-01254-x 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Enhancing reading skills through a novel video game mixing action mechanics and cognitive training

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

17-Jan-2022

Strong evidence shows Sixth Mass Extinction of global biodiversity in progress

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA

 

IMAGE: SHELLS OF LAND SNAILS FROM RURUTU (AUSTRAL ISLANDS, FRENCH POLYNESIA) -- RECENTLY EXTINCT BEFORE THEY WERE COLLECTED AND DESCRIBED SCIENTIFICALLY. view more 

CREDIT: O. GARGOMINY, A. SARTORI.

The history of life on Earth has been marked five times by events of mass biodiversity extinction caused by extreme natural phenomena. Today, many experts warn that a Sixth Mass Extinction crisis is underway, this time entirely caused by human activities.

A comprehensive assessment of evidence of this ongoing extinction event was published recently in the journal Biological Reviews by biologists from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France.

“Drastically increased rates of species extinctions and declining abundances of many animal and plant populations are well documented, yet some deny that these phenomena amount to mass extinction,” said Robert Cowie, lead author of the study and research professor at the UH Mānoa Pacific Biosciences Research Center in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). “This denial is based on a biased view of the crisis which focuses on mammals and birds and ignores invertebrates, which of course constitute the great majority of biodiversity.”

By extrapolating from estimates obtained for land snails and slugs, Cowie and co-authors estimated that since the year 1500, Earth could already have lost between 7.5 and 13% of the two million known species on Earth – a staggering 150,000 to 260,000 species.

“Including invertebrates was key to confirming that we are indeed witnessing the onset of the Sixth Mass Extinction in Earth’s history,” said Cowie.

The situation is not the same everywhere, however. Although marine species face significant threats, there is no evidence that the crisis is affecting the oceans to the same extent as the land. On land, island species, such as those of the Hawaiian Islands, are much more affected than continental species. And the rate of extinction of plants seems lower than that of terrestrial animals.

Unfortunately, along with science denial taking a foothold in modern society on a range of issues, the new study points out that some people also deny that the Sixth Extinction has begun. Additionally, others accept it as a new and natural evolutionary trajectory, as humans are just another species playing their natural role in Earth’s history. Some even consider that biodiversity should be manipulated solely for the benefit of humanity – but benefit defined by whom?

“Humans are the only species capable of manipulating the biosphere on a large scale,” Cowie emphasized. “We are not just another species evolving in the face of external influences. In contrast, we are the only species that has conscious choice regarding our future and that of Earth’s biodiversity.”

To fight the crisis, various conservation initiatives have been successful for certain charismatic animals. But these initiatives cannot target all species, and they cannot reverse the overall trend of species extinction. Nonetheless, it is essential to continue such efforts, to continue to cultivate a wonder for nature, and to document biodiversity before it disappears.

“Despite the rhetoric about the gravity of the crisis, and although remedial solutions exist and are brought to the attention of decision-makers, it is clear that political will is lacking,” said Cowie. “Denying the crisis, accepting it without reacting, or even encouraging it constitutes an abrogation of humanity’s common responsibility and paves the way for Earth to continue on its sad trajectory towards a Sixth Mass Extinction.”

CAPTION

Native Hawaiian snail habitat on Pu‘u Kukui, Maui.

CREDIT

Robert Cowie

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JOURNAL

Biological Reviews

DOI

10.1111/brv.12816 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

The Sixth Mass Extinction: fact, fiction or speculation?

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

10-Jan-2022

15-minute tumble dry can release hundreds of thousands of microfibers into the air

“To minimize the release of these microfibers into the air, an appropriate engineered filtration system should be developed and adopted as an effective control measure for individual household driers."

By

 Olivia Rosane

 -

January 14, 2022

SOURCEEcoWatch

Every time you stick a load of clothes into a tumble dryer, you may be releasing hundreds of thousands of microfibers into the air. 

That’s the conclusion of a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters Wednesday, which measured the fibers that escape from a household vented tumble dryer into the surrounding air. 

“The results suggest that driers of this type are a potential source of air contamination by microfibers, releasing 433,128–561,810 microfibers during 15 min of use,” the study authors concluded. 

Microfibers can come from either natural fabrics like cotton or synthetic ones like polyester, SciTechDaily explained. The latter is an example of microplastic pollution, and previous research has focused on how washing machines may contribute to the ocean plastic pollution crisis, as microfibers slough off in the wash and enter wastewater systems, eventually reaching the ocean. Researchers estimate that washing machines release two garbage trucks worth of microplastics into European oceans every day.

The new research, however, focused on the second half of the washing and drying process, and on how microfibers could travel through vents to reach the air. This is a concern because these fibers could collect organic or inorganic compounds and transport pollutants. Understanding whether or not dryers contribute to the problem is essential for resolving it.

“Once we know the source, we can begin to control it using simple methods,” study lead author Professor Kenneth Leung, who directs the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP) and the department of chemistry at City University of Hong Kong, told The Guardian.

SchiTech Daily explained how the researchers tested whether tumble dryers were a source of air pollution: 

The researchers separately dried clothing items made of polyester and those made of cotton in a tumble dryer that had a vent pipe to the outdoors. As the machine ran for 15 minutes, they collected and counted the airborne particles that exited the vent. The results showed that both types of clothing produced microfibers, which the team suggests comes from the friction of clothes rubbing together as they tumbled around.

Overall, the researchers estimated that the average Canadian household dryer releases between 90 and 120 million microfibers into the air every year. 

There was a difference between the cotton and polyester microfibers however: The larger the load, the more polyester fibers were released. But the size of the load did not matter for cotton clothing. Researchers hypothesized this was because cotton microfibers tend to clump together, which means they don’t escape into the air as easily. Cotton microfibers are also less of a concern because they can “decompose in the environment relatively quickly,” Leung told The Guardian. 

To keep microplastics out of the environment, Leung and his team have already designed a 3D-printed filter for washing machines and are working on another one for dryers. 

“To minimize the release of these microfibers into the air, an appropriate engineered filtration system should be developed and adopted as an effective control measure for individual household driers,” the study authors wrote.

However, the researchers said the clothing industry should also work to develop more sustainable fabrics. 

How the populist right twists leftwing ideas to appeal to voters

"The fact that the populist right feels the need to pretend they embrace so many progressive ideas shows that the left can win."

By

 Derek Royden

 -

January 14, 2022

SOURCENationofChange

One of the more interesting aspects of rightwing populism, especially in the form it’s taken in the United States, is its use of traditionally leftist talking points for reactionary political ends. This is a smart strategy as leftist ideas are broadly popular, especially when directed at the unaccountable power of big business and its servants in the political class.

Part of the appeal of someone like Tucker Carlson is that he pretends to be on the side of the (white) working class (who he’s started calling ‘legacy Americans’ in an obvious racist dog-whistle) against ‘elites’ and corporations. He’s able to pull this off by being very particular in terms of the businesses he goes after.

A good example of this is offered by the ongoing critique of ‘Big Tech’ by pundits like Carlson, which is often portrayed in their media as unfairly censoring ‘conservative’ views. These arguments accelerated when the former U.S. president lost access to his Twitter account after the events of January 6th at the U.S. Capitol. While this is mostly the result of him being out of office, Donald Trump’s social media bans seem to have impacted his day to day influence over his MAGA followers and ability to steer the news cycle.

While there’s lots to criticize about this huge and varied industry that could encompass everything from app focused startups to industrial giants like Sony and IBM, ‘Big Tech’ for conservative commentators is mainly the larger social media sites, platforms they argue they are entitled to say and post anything they want to on due to the free speech guarantees of the country’s 1st Amendment.

Although there have been a number of knockoffs like Parler, Gab and Gettr that are intended to directly connect to rightwing audiences, none have taken off enough to compete with older platforms in terms of the number of people using them. These platforms have also tended to be less secure than those that came before them, with Gettr almost immediately hacked upon its launch. 

Another problem for users of these sites seems to be the fact that both centrist liberals and the left are almost entirely absent from them, meaning there are no opportunities to troll and ‘own the libs’, which seems to be one of the main things much of this audience enjoys about social media just as they did earlier with the comments sections on news sites.

It’s hard to get into an argument when everyone agrees with you.

Further, while the 1st amendment is still the global standard in terms of the rights it bestows, including the right to protest, it only protects speech from government interference and doesn’t expand these protections to private enterprises. Companies can police speech however they want and did so long before the advent of social media. One example of this is the right of a book publisher to decide what to print and what not to.

These social media companies, which are international in scope and must be careful about local laws, craft their own terms of service (though enforcement can be lax) and users are expected to abide by rules against things like hate speech and medical misinformation.

Despite these rules, it usually takes a long time for rightwing influencers to face consequences for even the most outrageously bigoted commentary. Part of this may be the result of a lack of moderation by human beings, who are more able to understand nuances like satire, but a greater one seems to be money, with those content creators with large numbers of subscribers or followers less likely to face consequences for breaking the rules established by the terms of service they agreed to when they joined. In the U.S., there is also the protection offered to these companies by Section 230 of the country’s Communications Decency Act, which frees them from liability for what their users post.

If one looks at the most popular political voices on the largest of these networks, Facebook, they’re all on the right, exposing the lie in the right’s criticism of ‘Big Tech’ as being controlled by the progressive left rather than the same kinds of business interests that control just about everything else in most Western democracies. 

Take the case of failed comedian Steven Crowder, whose Youtube channel has over 5 and a half million subscribers. The former voice actor for the Canadian animated children’s show “Arthur”, where he somewhat ironically played a character called “The Brain”, consistently attacks Black Lives Matter activists, feminists and those fighting for the rights of trans and other LGBTQ+ communities.

It does seem that Crowder, who at the end of 2021 received a 2 week suspension from Youtube for hate speech, actually wants a permanent ban so that he can claim he’s been ‘cancelled’ and use this to raise more money from his fans while growing his other platforms like Rumble, a Toronto based site that seeks to be the video streaming platforn for the far right. 

The left in general takes a more nuanced approach to arguments against these Big Tech companies, understanding that deplatforming almost always applies to them as well and that these companies will not hesitate to go after progressive voices in the interest of ‘fairness’. Most also understand that bans are just the most powerful tool available to the companies to silence those deemed outside of the mainstream, with unaccountable algorithms determining how far a post travels online.

An obvious solution to this, which would ensure the 1st amendment would apply to users of these sites in the United States would be to make these social networks public utilities or at least regulate them to ensure fair access for all, solutions free market loving rightwingers would probably have a hard time backing.

More dangerous than these ‘free speech’ battles is the global far right’s new found dislike for ‘Big Pharma’, which is being weaponized by some commentators to argue against Covid 19 vaccination campaigns.

There are legitimate criticisms that can be made about these massive companies, not the least of which is that Americans pay far more for life saving drugs than citizens of other countries like Canada or the UK. The anger against Big Pharma seems more legitimate than the ire directed at Big Tech considering how the opioid crisis hit red states as hard blue ones, devastating many of these communities. Still, this righteous anger is being misdirected against safe, freely available vaccines that have been shown to prevent hospitalizations and death from the novel coronavirus.

Just as QAnon did in 2020 with the hashtag ‘Save the Children’, the overwhelmingly rightwing anti-vaccine crowd have decided to co-opt another slogan, “My body, my choice” from those fighting for women’s reproductive freedom. This is all the more despicable considering that many of those using the slogan oppose a woman’s right to choose and have control over her own body, rights that seem more imperiled than ever at present.

Always prone to contradicting themselves, many of the same rightwing commentators that express scepticism about vaccines also tout an ever evolving list of unproven miracle cures from hydroxychloriquine to ivermectin to Viagra. All of these drugs produced by… Big Pharma.

What should really scandalize the public is the fact that companies like Pfizer and Moderna received billions of dollars in taxpayer money and benefited from the work of publicly funded scientists and agencies but see no reason not to demand full ownership of the vaccines and the huge profits to be derived from them. This has in turn ensured unequal distribution, with poorer countries in the global south unable to provide the shots to their populations while citizens in richer countries receive boosters, a situation that might extend the pandemic as new variants emerge in these places.

Personally, I am not a believer in the idea that progressives should expend resources and energy trying to pull the far right to our side but the left should definitely be ready to point out their hypocrisy and the inconsistencies in their arguments in order to win over people sitting on the fence. After all, there are more non voters than supporters of any political party in most Western democracies.

Culture war talking points aside, the fact that the populist right feels the need to 

Derek Royden

Derek Royden is a freelance writer based in Montreal, Canada with an interest in activism, politics and culture. His work has appeared on Occupy.com, Truthout, Antiwar.com and Gonzo Today as well as in Skunk Magazine.

More than 8,000 Kroger grocery workers strike in Colorado

The strike began a day after a report showed 14% of Kroger workers have experienced homelessness in the past year.

By

 Julia Conley

 -

January 14, 2022

SOURCECommon Dreams

Image credit: UFCW

On the heels of a new report showing significant financial insecurity, including homelessness, among workers at Kroger grocery stores, more than 8,000 of the chain’s employees in Colorado went on strike Wednesday to demand fair wages and better healthcare benefits.

Amid a recent wave of successful strikes at companies including John Deere and Kellogg’s, the work stoppage is taking place at nearly 80 King Sooper grocery stores, which are owned by the Kroger Company, across the Denver metropolitan area. According to the Colorado Sun, 10 additional stores in Colorado Springs could also go on strike in the coming weeks.

The workers’ union, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, rejected the company’s “best and final offer” on Tuesday, saying the $84 billion company did not offer enough for employees to afford basic necessities.

“King Soopers is enjoying record profits while leaving its workers to struggle with low wages,” union president Kim Cordova said in a statement. “Grocery workers ensure that our communities have access to food, but they cannot even afford to feed their own families. This is grossly unfair.”

The union is demanding better health benefits and working conditions, particularly considering that Covid-19 cases are rising and employees have continued working on the front lines of the pandemic for nearly two years.

“The companies were thriving, but our workers didn’t thrive,” Cordova said of the early months of the pandemic at a recent press conference. “Know what our workers got? Covid. Attacked. Beat up. Spit on. Slapped. Overworked. And the company? They did great. They did absolutely great, sitting behind their desk doing their job by Zoom.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) expressed solidarity with the workers on Wednesday, calling out the high salary of Kroger’s CEO, Rodney McMullen.

The company’s offer came the same day that the research firm Economic Roundtable released a report showing the economic realities facing workers at the chain, who earn an average of $29,655 per year for 30-hour work weeks.

The firm surveyed 10,000 workers in Colorado, California, and Washington and found 70% of respondents work only part time—with many working erratic schedules “so they can’t have a second job even if they want it,” Peter Dreier, a professor at Occidental College who worked on the report, told the Sun.

Two-thirds of the respondents said they couldn’t afford basic monthly expenses, 39% couldn’t afford groceries, and 14% said they had experienced homelessness in the past year. More than a third said they are currently worried about being evicted.

As Common Dreams reported in November 2020, Kroger offered hazard pay to workers after the pandemic began—but ended the payment after just two months, despite the chain’s sales going up by 30% in 2020.

“They’ve given huge pay increases to top executives. The CEO makes over $22 million a year,” Dreier told the Sun. “Their cash on hand has gone up since February 2020.”

Meanwhile, adjusted for inflation, wages for the highest-paid grocery workers at King Soopers in Colorado have gone down in the past decade, according to Dreier:

He said his team found that net income rates tripled while sales increased 15.8%, while payroll and benefits shrank as a percentage of sales. The wage analysis of the top-paid King Soopers food clerk in Colorado between 2010 and 2020 showed a 16% increase to $19.16 an hour. Adjusted for inflation though, he said that’s a 3% reduction in pay.

The offer made to the union included an hourly pay raise of $1.50 for full-time checkout workers, giving them just over $21 per hour and $22.61 by 2024.

Those raises would be too little, too late for King Soopers workers, according to Dreier.

“If they are going to be able to pay the rent and pay the groceries and all the other things, they need to make $45,760 a year,” or $22 per hour, he said.

THE DEVIL AND THE JEWS THE MEDIEVAL CONCEPTION OF THE JEW AND ITS RELATION TO MODERN ANTISEMITISM

The Place of Kabbalah in the Doctrine of Russian Freemasons

Konstantin Burmistrov

Maria Endel

2004, Aries

1345 ViewsPaperRank: 5.542 Pages

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Masonic lodges first made their appearance in Russia in the mid-18 th century and, by the end of that century, probably involved several thousand people. Members of lodges were for the most part statesmen, aristocrats and intellec-tuals: dignitaries, career soldiers, officials, writers and scientists, churchmen, etc. Masonic views are known to have had a considerable influence on theideology of that time but, although the history of Russian masonry has beenwell studied, masonic ideology has until now received little scholarly atten-tion. There is a long tradition in Russian science of scepticism concerning themain constituents of masonic tradition: mysticism, alchemy and Kabbalah.During the late 19 th–early twentieth centuries, Russian scholars paid little at-tention to this topic, mainly because of their extreme positivistic views. In theSoviet period, the topic was taboo.