Why People Believe In Pseudoscience
It is interesting how some people, even with all the education and information we have access to, still believe in pseudoscience. Homeopathy, reiki and astrology have an audience that hopes to find answers to their questions in areas that have nothing to do with science or truth.
Psychologists, scientists and sociologists still wonder why people believe in things that cannot be proven. Science author and historian Michael Shermer comments on this in his book Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition and Other Confusions of Our Time.
He says some reasons have to do with a lack of critical thinking, less reading and more television as well as fear of science and education. But there seems to be an even more surprising reason: people believe in false science because it feels good. They like it; it feels reassuring.
It is clear that if something interests us, it is because it gives us positive encouragement. And the gurus who are committed to spreading theories without any scientific evidence also know this very well.
It seems that people feel very secure about pseudoscience because it is something that is easy to put into practice. When someone starts with psychological therapy, the person will need to practice certain science-based strategies. They may not be very pleasant, but they will eventually help with the disease.
But pseudosciences will not frustrate you or expose you to fear. So what is happening? The person is caught because he feels comfortable being understood without having to leave his comfort zone. The person does not have to do the work required in therapy or have to do with the side effects that occur with medication.
It is not a cure, but being in contact with pseudoscience becomes a negative encouragement because it removes discomfort, effort and sacrifice. This is when the client or patient thinks that this is the only thing that really helps.
It ends with people believing that they have not been able to fix their ailment or illness because it was simply not possible in their case. The real reason, however, was that they did not give the professionals a chance – probably due to fear.
Pseudoscience alleviates cognitive dissonance: the contradiction that sometimes exists between what we think and what we really do. It is much easier to think that “there is no solution” than to expose oneself to the temporary suffering that therapy sometimes entails. People try to confirm their views, even if they have no basis.
But pseudosciences are not just simple and convenient for the patient. Many who practice them do not have to work very hard to become “professional”. They do not need a degree and do not have to study for many years: all they need is for someone to teach them. It ends with them seeing themselves as a form of authority, which makes them feel important. They then believe even more in their pseudosciences.
As people believe in pseudoscience, this seems to be related to more than just cognitive dissonance or convenience. Desperate people who see no way out, and have no cure for their disease will look for alternative solutions.
When a person has nothing to lose, it becomes a situation where you do either or. They act without really thinking about the consequences. The problem is that the consequences often mean that the patient gets worse.
If people learned to accept the adversities that life brings us, things might have been much easier. In fact, science is the only thing that can really solve our problems, and this applies to both psychological and physical problems.
The problem lies in a lack of information. You should therefore go through scientific studies or consult a professional before making a decision if you want to avoid these pitfalls and start believing in pseudoscience.
Let us try to exercise rational thinking and rely on empirical evidence. The professionals work every day to find solutions, truth, causality… Everything outside this is pure imagination.
