Behavioral Science of Formation and Functions of Pseudoscientific Beliefs

本研究从生理、认知、行为和社会四个方面探讨了伪科学信念的形成机制和功能，以及科学教育对改变伪科学信念的作用。研究1表明，人们对数字选择有普遍的偏好。认为这种偏好是在社会交往中通过交流形成的，这种数字选择偏好是一种原始的迷信类型。研究2旨在探讨睡眠意象与脑电图阶段的关系。研究结果表明，随着睡眠脑电图各阶段的进展，睡眠图像由清醒白日梦转变为非快速眼动睡眠梦。研究3调查了个人因素对超自然信仰的影响。结果表明，对鬼魂、轮回存在的信仰和迷信主要受外部归因的影响，焦虑程度仅影响对未知生物和文化存在的信仰。研究4的目的是考察社会心理因素对超自然信仰形成的影响。结果表明，超自然信仰的强度与人际交往中对超自然现象的接受程度呈正相关。对超自然力量、鬼魂和轮回的信仰也与对科学和灵性的态度有关。研究五采用纵向设计，考察科学教育对金桥现象超自然信仰改变的影响。结果表明：(1)个人经历与对金桥现象的超自然信仰和对科学解释金桥现象的渴望有关；(2)对金桥现象的科学教育对科学解释金桥现象的重要性有影响。研究6探讨了大脑潜在功能中的伪科学信念与认知封闭需求之间的关系。封闭需求高的人比认知封闭需求低的人更有可能对大脑的超自然功能进行科学解释。但是，关于大脑功能的科学教育削弱了封闭需求与大脑伪科学信仰之间的关系。少

Six studies were conducted to examine physiological, cognitive, behavioral and social mechanisms of formation and functions of pseudoscientific beliefs, and utility of scientific education for change of the beliefs.Study 1 revealed that people has general preference of number selection. It was suggested that the preference is formed through communication in social interaction and that this preference of number selection is one primitive type of superstition.Study 2 aimed to investigate the relationships between hypnagogic imagery and EEG stages. Results of this study showed that the hypnagogic imageries changed from waking daydreams to hypnagogic imageries or NREM sleep dreams as a function of progress of hypnagogic EEG stages.Study 3 investigated the effects of personal factors on the paranormal beliefs. Results revealed that beliefs in existence of ghost and reincarnation and superstition were mainly effected by external attribution, and that level of anxiety affected only beliefs in … More existences of undefined creatures and cultures.The purpose of study 4 was to examine effects of social-psychological factors on formation of paranormal belief. Results showed that strength of paranormal belief were positively associated with the acceptance of the phenomena in the interpersonal communication. Beliefs in supernatural power, ghost and reincarnation were also associated with attitude toward science and spirituality.In study 5, using a longitudinal design, the effect of scientific education on change of paranormal beliefs in kanashibari phenomenon was investigated. Results showed that (1) personal experience of kanashibari was associated with paranormal belief in and desire for scientific clarification of this phenomenon, and (2) scientific education on kanashibari phenomenon had effect on perceived importance of scientific clarification on the phenomenon.Study 6 investigated the relationship between the pseudoscientific beliefs in latent functions of the brain and the need for cognitive closure. People high in need for closure perceived higher possibility of scientific clarification on paranormal function of the brain than did people low an cognitive closure. But scientific education on functions of the brain weakened the relationship between the need for closure and pseudoscientific belief in the brain. Less