Mind over matter? The cognitive styles of scientific scepticism and paranormal belief
Neil Dagnall, Andrew Denovan, Claire Murphy-morgan, Kenneth Drinkwater, Danny Powell, Nick Neave
Frontiers in Psychology March 6, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1699045 via OpenAlex
Summary
Scientific and paranormal beliefs are oppositional worldviews linked to different thinking styles. In 300 adults, traditional and New Age paranormal beliefs correlated with intuitive-experiential thinking, while belief in science correlated with analytical-rational processing. Two subgroups emerged: 55% showed high scientific and low paranormal belief (Higher Evidence-based Thinking), and 45% showed low scientific and high paranormal belief (Lower Evidence-based Thinking). The evidence-based group scored higher on analytical-rational and lower on intuitive-experiential processing. Dogmatism and need for closure did not differ between groups, suggesting these traits are belief-neutral.
Study at a glance
| Design | cross-sectional survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 300 |
| Population | adults (mean age 45.95) |
| Key finding | Scientific and paranormal beliefs are oppositional worldviews associated with distinct cognitive processing styles, with analytical-rational thinking linked to scientific belief and intuitive-experiential thinking linked to paranormal belief. |
Abstract
Scientific scepticism, as an epistemic orientation, remains under-researched. This study investigated the interplay between belief in science, supernatural credence, and cognitive processing styles in a sample of 300 participants ( M age = 45.95, SD = 14.32). Traditional (TPB) and New Age (NAP) paranormal beliefs correlated positively with intuitive-experiential measures and negatively with analytical-rational processing indices. Belief in Science showed the inverse pattern of relationships. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified two distinct subgroups: Higher Evidence-based Thinking (HET; 55%), defined by high scientific and low paranormal belief, and Lower Evidence-based Thinking (LET; 45%), characterized by low scientific and high paranormal belief. HET (vs. LET) participants demonstrated significantly greater analytical-rational and lower intuitive-experiential processing. Cognitive rigidity (dogmatism and need for closure) did not differentiate between profiles, suggesting these are belief-neutral characteristics of strongly held convictions. Findings indicated that scientific and paranormal beliefs represent oppositional worldviews associated with distinct, preferred modes of information processing.