This relates to climate via the persistence of misinformation in people’s minds:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/07/12/3267644.htm?site=perth&section=video&date=%28none%29

I don't have the reference handy, but the restaurant rule of thumb is that it takes 10 good word-of-mouth experiences to offset just one bad.  So it's not just misinformation, but negativism as well.

The "first-in, last-out" phenomenon is also at play.  Which is why millions spent now on disinformation campaigns translate into billions in profits through delayed regulation.

Lingering Lies: The Persistent Influence of Misinformation posted on Scientific American.

Steve Lewandowsky (who co-authored this study) emailed me the PDFs for these papers so if anyone wants them, email me @ john@skepticalscience.com

Pretty much confirms what we already knew - misinformation is like weeds. Pull them out, they grow back again.

Making me realise, Skeptical Science will never be obselete, will it? Sigh!!

I'll take a copy of each, if you please.  Thanks!