Skepticism ‘requires high cognitive ability, strong motivation to be rational’

Written by PSI staff on November 14, 2017. Posted in Current News

New study from the University of Chicago, Illinois proves global warming skeptics are smarter and more rational than you think. Researchers find that analytic thinking is not sufficient to promote skepticism toward various unfounded beliefs. Instead, skeptics show higher analytic thinking and value epistemic rationality interactively. Cognitive ability, rather than analytic cognitive style, seems to account for these findings.

The internet is inundated with websites denouncing skeptics of man-made global warming. You don’t need to look far to get a flavor of the hate speech thrown at anyone, scientist or otherwise, asserting doubt humans are ‘dangerously’ warming mother earth. Even Pope Francis has been putting the boot in on dissenters of the 30-year-old rabid eco-religion.

But science seems to have a way of getting the last word. The paper’s authors, Tomas Ståhla and Jan-Willem van Prooijenb, write:

Abstract

Why does belief in the paranormal, conspiracy theories, and various other phenomena that are not backed up by evidence remain widespread in modern society? In the present research we adopt an individual difference approach, as we seek to identify psychological precursors of skepticism toward unfounded beliefs. We propose that part of the reason why unfounded beliefs are so widespread is because skepticism requires both sufficient analytic skills, and the motivation to form beliefs on rational grounds. In Study 1 we show that analytic thinking is associated with a lower inclination to believe various conspiracy theories, and paranormal phenomena, but only among individuals who strongly value epistemic rationality. We replicate this effect on paranormal belief, but not conspiracy beliefs, in Study 2. We also provide evidence suggesting that general cognitive ability, rather than analytic cognitive style, is the underlying facet of analytic thinking that is responsible for these effects.