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Magical beliefs and discriminating science from pseudoscience in undergraduate professional students.


ABSTRACT: Paranormal beliefs and magical thinking exist in the public, and amongst university students. Researchers have found that media can influence such beliefs. A 2012 study suggested pseudoscientific rationales can influence acceptance of reported paranormal phenomena. Using a paranormal belief survey and controlled experiment this work explores the paranormal beliefs and test the effects of three versions of a supernatural news story on undergraduate professional students. One version of the story presented a simple news article, another the same with a pseudoscientific rationale, and another gave a discrediting scientific critique. Results confirmed that many students do hold magical beliefs but discriminated between scientific and pseudoscientific narratives. However, pre-existing paranormal beliefs were associated with an increased likelihood of students finding paranormal reports scientific, believable and credible.

SUBMITTER: Garrett BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5727372 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Magical beliefs and discriminating science from pseudoscience in undergraduate professional students.

Garrett Bernard M BM   Cutting Roger L RL  

Heliyon 20171103 11


Paranormal beliefs and magical thinking exist in the public, and amongst university students. Researchers have found that media can influence such beliefs. A 2012 study suggested pseudoscientific rationales can influence acceptance of reported paranormal phenomena. Using a paranormal belief survey and controlled experiment this work explores the paranormal beliefs and test the effects of three versions of a supernatural news story on undergraduate professional students. One version of the story  ...[more]

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