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ImaLooser
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Why do people believe what they believe? Can anyone direct me to studies of this? I'm not interested in Kant or other philosophers, case studies would be more like it.
pwdrmntainski said:Why do YOU believe what you believe?
Bobbywhy said:I suggest reading this book by Michael Shermer of the Skeptical Society and Stephen Jay Gould:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...=why+people+,stripbooks,443&tag=pfamazon01-20
I have read it and found it gets right to your question.
Bobbywhy
ImaLooser said:That could work quite well. I'm more interested in why people believe in commonly accepted, mainstream things, though the dynamics could be pretty much the same.
ImaLooser said:"The rest of the book is more information about the author's personal beliefs, pet peeves, etc. Interestingly, when discussing theories he is critical of, the author holds studies to a very high standard, but when discussing his own theory, he references studies and concepts that often do not reach the same level of rigor." Yep. Well, if his own theories didn't apply to him, wouldn't that be a weakness?
Bobbywhy said:May I ask, what is the source of the above quotation you posted? Thank you.
ImaLooser said:It is from an Amazon review of "The Believing Brain."
ImaLooser said:I'd be particularly interested in cases where people say one thing and do another. There must be at least one clever psychology experiment or study out there that covers this. The "cognitive dissonance" studies are close, but not quite what I'm looking for. It would be more a question of what happens when people can profit by secretly defecting from group norms.
ImaLooser said:I'd be particularly interested in cases where people say one thing and do another. There must be at least one clever psychology experiment or study out there that covers this. The "cognitive dissonance" studies are close, but not quite what I'm looking for. It would be more a question of what happens when people can profit by secretly defecting from group norms.
dkotschessaa said:But that seems more behavioral. You originally asked about why people believe the things they do, not why they behave the way they do. Obviously people act out of their own self interest. They say one thing because they profit from saying it, and they do another thing because they profit from doing it. Is that such a tough nut to crack? I don't see anything interesting there.
Cognitive dissonance - actually simultaneously believing (or generally cognizing, feeling, etc) contrary notions at the same time, is significantly less trivial. It's about self interest as well, but at a deeper level where we have to be able to hold contradicting notions in order to function.
-Dave K
People believe what they believe for a variety of reasons, including personal experiences, upbringing and cultural influences, education and knowledge, and psychological factors.
Confirmation bias is the tendency for people to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs and ignore or dismiss information that contradicts them. This can lead to the reinforcement of existing beliefs and can make it difficult for people to change their beliefs even when presented with evidence.
Yes, beliefs can be changed. However, it can be a challenging process as beliefs are often deeply ingrained and tied to our sense of identity. To change a belief, one must be open to new information and willing to critically examine their current beliefs.
Yes, emotions can play a significant role in shaping beliefs. Emotions can influence our perceptions, thoughts, and reactions, which can in turn impact our beliefs. For example, a person's fear or anger towards a certain group may lead them to hold negative beliefs about that group.
Holding onto certain beliefs can provide a sense of stability, comfort, and familiarity. Beliefs can also serve as a source of motivation and can help people make sense of the world around them. However, it is important to continually evaluate and challenge our beliefs to ensure they are based on accurate and updated information.