It's interesting, that even in a community like HN, almost nobody seems to ask for the scientific reference here.
Might have something to do with confirmation bias? Or is there such a thing like sounds-interesting-AF-bias?
That said, I don't believe that computer programmers are, as a group, significantly more skeptical than other professions. Like most people we muddle along with generalizations, lore, and myth.
Unthinkable! Why, next thing I suppose you’ll impugn Mathnet for fibbing.
Your point is a great one. Most information in our world is of extremely low quality. That's what happens when attention is incentivized, not teaching.