Critical thinking and belief in the paranormal: A re-evaluation

Journal/Book: Brit J Psychol. 1999; 90: St Andrews House, 48 Princess Rd East, Leicester, Leics, England Le1 7Dr. British Psychological Soc. 85-98.

Abstract: This paper evaluates the claim that believers in the paranormal exhibit poor critical thinking ability relative to disbelievers, as manifested in their inability to evaluate the competence of experimental abstracts. It is argued that such differences reported elsewhere (Alcock & Otis, 1980; Gray & Mill, 1990) may be accountable for in terms of the action of cognitive dissonance, or as due to experimental artifacts. A study was conducted which attempted to overcome earlier methodological shortcomings, and which assessed the cognitive dissonance account of differential performance. Altogether, 117 participants were characterized as believers, neutrals or disbelievers according to a pre-measure. Subsequently, each participant was asked to evaluate an abbreviated experimental report which was either sympathetic or unsympathetic to parapsychology. No differences in assessment ratings were found, failing to replicate the claimed effect and supporting an account in terms of artifact. There was a significant tendency for those participants who received a paper which was incongruent with their a priori beliefs to rate it as less competently conducted and analysed than those who rated the congruent paper, in keeping with the cognitive dissonance account.

Note: Article Roe CA, Nene Univ, Coll Northampton, Div Psychol, Moulton Pk, Northampton NN2 7AL, ENGLAND

Keyword(s): PERCEPTION; PROBABILITY

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