From Nazi propaganda to political rhetoric, dehumanizing labels make it easier to dismiss or harm "others."

Nobel-winning science was nearly buried by labels.

Counter labels by asking what they describe, and separate the claim from the person.

I am increasingly concerned about how labels are being weaponized and the polarizing effects they are having on us. Let’s take a look at how labels can influence us.

A label is a word or phrase that is attached to a person, group, idea, or thing to put it into a category. Labels are lenses that influence how we see things and how we interpret our world.

Our brains are wired to categorize or sort things into groups so we can make quick decisions without having to re-analyze every situation. Labels help us organize knowledge and predict what to expect from a person or an idea.

Labels can help us or harm us.

For example, a medical diagnosis is a label. A diagnosis tells a doctor what treatment options exist, but can also limit a doctor’s beliefs about how effective treatments may be.

Another label is "scientifically supported," which can help people separate reliable information from unproven claims, or it can cause people to distrust information because they have learned how heavily science has been influenced by large industries, such as the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries.

Labels can lead to stigma, which is built upon a series of steps: People label a difference, attach a stereotype to it, separate "us" from "them," and then discriminate against the “others.”

In a study published in Science, healthy volunteers were labeled with a psychiatric diagnosis. The staff then........

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