Investigating supernatural claims is a delicate task for the church, and Catholic leaders rarely label them as authentic.
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Articles on Beliefs
Displaying 1 - 20 of 48 articles
We’ve spent ages learning about the people who think they’ve come from another planet, so you don’t have to.
We often assume misinformation leads to bad beliefs which lead to antisocial behaviour. But there’s so far little evidence for this.
A philosopher unpacks the ‘ethics of belief’ for an age awash in bad information.
The key to understanding online conspiracy theorists is to understand how the line between fantasy and reality can become blurred.
Views on death and the afterlife vary from person to person and culture to culture. This course gives US Air Force cadets a broad perspective on mortality and its effects on people and society.
Here are some reasons for the natural human tendency to avoid or reject new information that runs counter to what you already know – and some tips on how to do better.
Instead of complacent acceptance of misinformed beliefs, we need institutional moves to cultivate trust between experts and the public.
What is the appeal of cults? How do they work? And what is the damage they do? A new book, by the creator of the podcast Let’s Talk About Sects, answers these questions and more.
Crystals are part of a larger tradition of metaphysical religions that have a long history in the U.S.
Overcoming conspiracy theories isn’t just about information. A scholar of religion explains that the emotions they inspire are part of their appeal.
Critical thinking means seeking out new information – especially facts that might run contrary to what you believe – and being willing to change your mind. And it’s a teachable skill.
People tend to stick with their stated beliefs. But here’s how external forces like vaccine mandates can push people to do something they don’t want to do – and provide some face-saving cover.
‘Hustle culture’ is so pervasive in U.S. society that not even the coronavirus pandemic could shake the urge to prioritize productivity.
Science denial is not new, but researchers have learned a lot about it. Here’s why it exists, how everyone is susceptible to it in one way or another and steps to take to overcome it.
In both ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, reflected images were thought to hold mysterious powers. Damaging a mirror was believed to invite the wrath of the gods.
A professor of religious studies argues that describing QAnon followers as brainwashed overlooks their role in accepting and spreading potentially dangerous beliefs.
Cognitive scientists are investigating the ways relative factors like new options and the order they’re presented influence your choices and beliefs.
These medical volunteers have been closely associated with several kinds of non-human actors, whose behaviour is worth examining in more detail.
Cognitive shortcuts help you efficiently move through a complicated world. But they come with an unwelcome side effect: Facts aren’t necessarily enough to change your mind.
Top contributors
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Reader in Applied Cognitive Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Cognitive and Parapsychology, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Chair of Cognitive Psychology, University of Bristol
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Director of Religion and Society, University of Lancaster, Lancaster University
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Associate Professor of Philosophy, Rochester Institute of Technology
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Senior Lecturer in Bioethics, Australian National University
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PhD Candidate at the Institute for Social Justice, Australian Catholic University
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Professor Emeritus of Cognitive NeuroImaging, Aston University
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Research Fellow, Coventry University
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Research Fellow, Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, Durham University
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Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Texas State University
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Dana and David Dornsife Professor of Psychology and Director of the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
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Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Wollongong
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Assistant Professor of Psychology (Perception and Cognition), Indiana University
