This book aims to reveal how the human mind's search for order in the face of uncertainty and complexity leads to belief systems which have no scientific basis, while exploring the harms of such beliefs at individual and societal levels. Conspiracy theories, paranormal beliefs, and pseudoscientific claims can negatively affect individuals' decision-making processes, health choices, and social ties. The book aims to provide a holistic analysis of those phenomena by bringing together the perspectives of different disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, media studies, and philosophy of science. In particular, cognitive biases and social identity theory play a key role in explaining why these beliefs are attractive. As a work, it is distinct in that it not only approaches these issues from a critical perspective but also offers solution-oriented strategies to help readers acquire critical thinking skills and use scientific methods effectively.
1. Introduction - Menure Alk Küçükaydn.-
2. Faith and Belief
Systems: Navigating Social, Educational, and Epistemological Perspectives -
Menure Alk Küçükaydn.-
3. Conspiracy in the Age of Social Media: Viral
Beliefs About COVID-19 Vaccines and Heart Attacks in Turkish Digital
Discourse - Mahmut Fevzi Cengiz.-
4. Paranormal Narratives and Their Role in
Imposing Cultural Influence - Djellouli Mokhtar and Hadji Latifa.-
5. Science
or Pseudoscience? Examining the Awareness and Critical Thinking Tendencies of
Pre-service Teachers - Elçin Ayaz.-
6. Conspiracy, Paranormal, and
Pseudoscientific Beliefs from the Perspective of Epistemological Beliefs -
Seher Esen and Nuh Akçakaya.-
7. Conspiracies, Beliefs and the Sociology of
Knowledge as a Possibility of Meaning - Mehmet Furkan Ören.-
8. How Much Did
We Trust in Science? The Pandemic as a Turning Point - Menure Alk
Küçükaydn.-
9. Society and Belief Traps - Hamdi Karaka.-
10. The Conflict
Between Fact and Fiction - Hafife Bozdemir Yüzbaolu.-
11. Escaping the
Traps of Unwarranted Beliefs Through Education: A Systematic Review - Esra
Saraç Yldrm.-
12. Conclusion - Menure Alk Küçükaydn.
Menure Alk Küçükaydn is an Associate Professor of Primary Education at Necmettin Erbakan University in Konya, Turkey. She received her undergraduate degree in Department of Primary Teacher Education from Gazi University, Faculty of Education in 2006 and her Ph.D degrees in Department of Primary Teacher Education from Gazi University in 2017. Dr. Küçükaydns scholarly work focuses on science and pseudoscience, conspiracy theories and scientific knowledge in education. She has published fifteen books.
