The Development of Teaching Critical Thinking Based on the Dual Process Model of Pseudoscientific belief

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Science education
• Research Institution: Shinshu University
• Principal Investigator: KIKUCHI Satoru 信州大学, 学術研究院人文科学系, 教授 (30262679)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 批判的思考 / 疑似科学 / 超常信奉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

According to the Cognitive Experiential Self Theory, pseudoscientific beliefs are considered as a kind of paranormal belief attributed to the lack of rational thinking or scientific knowledge. In this study, re-examined various models of the lack of rational thinking were once again examined in order to search for the common grounds of pseudoscientific beliefs and critical thinking so that the result of this study can be used to develop scientific education.
To clarify the reality of pseudoscientific beliefs, four researches were conducted on young men and women. These researches revealed that their pseudoscientific beliefs are correlated with their intuition. Unlike paranormal beliefs, however, some of pseudoscientific beliefs included skepticism are related with their favor of science and their critical thinking attitude.

Free Research Field

認知心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

科学理論に対する信頼や科学的思考の重視は、現代の社会を形作る重要な共通基盤である。疑似科学は、科学の適切な理解を阻害するだけでなく、科学的根拠にもとづく意思決定をゆがめ、多くの社会問題を引き起こしている。この疑似科学と正当な科学を識別できる適切な科学リテラシーを育成する教育の必要性は高い。本研究では、従来、非合理的思考や科学的知識態度の欠如としてとらえられていた疑似科学に、正当な科学と共通する要素があることを明らかにした。これを手がかりとして、科学リテラシー教育や一般的な批判的思考教育に有効性の高い教材として、疑似科学が応用可能性を示すことができた。