S01E27 - Epistemic Similarities between Students’ Scientific and Supernatural Beliefs

This study examines how college students conceptualize and support their scientific and supernatural beliefs. While participants expressed much higher confidence in scientific facts, they rarely justified these ideas with empirical evidence, instead relying on deference to authority and social consensus. The findings reveal that students often view scientific claims as infallible and fixed, a perspective that fundamentally contradicts the revisable nature of science. Furthermore, individuals with a stronger understanding of scientific processes were more likely to use evidential reasoning rather than superficial justifications. Ultimately, the research suggests that for many, scientific knowledge is held in a manner qualitatively similar to religious or magical beliefs. These epistemic similarities indicate that science education may not effectively teach students to distinguish the unique evidential foundations of scientific inquiry.Citation: Shtulman, Andrew. 2013. “Epistemic Similarities between Students’ Scientific and Supernatural Beliefs.” Journal of Educational Psychology 105(1):199–212. doi:10.1037/a0030282.