PSYC 405
Why We Believe What We Believe Fall 2024
Division III

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 social situations and why are we so convinced these assumptions are correct? How does our culture affect our views of social phenomena such as psychological disorders, parenting, or educational systems 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) related to some of these issues 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.