PSYC 405
Why We Believe What We Believe Fall 2023
Division III
This is not the current course catalog

As scientists, we aspire to hold beliefs that are based in evidence. As humans, however, we are likely to embrace beliefs influenced by a variety of social, historical, cultural, political, racial and religious factors. In this class, we will explore the question of why we cling to certain beliefs, even in the face of significant contradictory evidence. For example, what assumptions do we make about strangers and why are we so convinced these assumptions are correct? How does our culture affect our parenting choices and why do we hold on to them so fiercely? What assumptions do we make about the nature of memory, emotions and cognitions and are these assumptions valid? Are there “defensive moves” that we make when we are challenged racially, even when we are committedly antiracist? And, if so, why? In class, we will explore source material from popular culture: books, films, podcasts and popular press articles, and we will examine claims made about different belief systems. We will then critically evaluate these claims by exploring the available empirical psychological evidence. The format of this class is student-led discussions.