Heterodoxies

Conspiracy Theories, Alternative Medicine, and Parascience—Do Heterodox Beliefs Have a Stabilizing Effect on Individuals in an Unstable World?

Heterodox beliefs—that is, beliefs that deviate from established knowledge—can be found in a wide variety of contexts. In addition to heterodoxies that provide new food for thought and are part of scientific progress, these also include those that permanently break away from established science, such as conspiracy theories, alternative medicine, or parascience. Heterodox beliefs presumably contribute to individual stability, particularly in times of instability, such as during crises or periods of personal or societal upheaval. At the same time, however, they can also have a destabilizing effect on society. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying heterodox beliefs is therefore of fundamental interest. In this project, we will analyze the role of autobiographical upheavals and narratives in the development of heterodox beliefs, identify justification strategies for heterodox beliefs, and investigate the relationship between neural (in)stability and heterodox beliefs. Our overarching hypothesis is that instability creates a disposition toward heterodox beliefs, and that these beliefs serve as a means of individual stabilization. Using an integrative, interdisciplinary approach, we will experimentally examine autobiographical narratives and reconstructed justification strategies to determine the extent to which they have a stabilizing effect on brain activation and neurobiology.

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