Hauntings, homeopathy, and the Hopkinsville Goblins: using pseudoscience to teach scientific thinking

Frontiers in Psychology

Rodney Schmaltz¹ 

关键词: scientific thinking;    skepticism;    pseudoscience;    teaching resources;    introductory psychology;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00336

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

With access to information ever increasing, it is essential that students acquire the skills to distinguish fact from fiction. By incorporating examples of pseudoscience into lectures, instructors can provide students with the tools needed to understand the difference between scientific and pseudoscientific or paranormal claims. We discuss examples involving psychics, ghosts, aliens, and other phenomena in relation to scientific thinking. In light of research literature demonstrating that presenting and dispelling scientific misconceptions in the classroom is an effective means of countering non-scientific or pseudoscientific beliefs, we provide examples of pseudoscience that can be used to help students acquire healthy skepticism while avoiding cynicism.

【 授权许可】

CC BY