Using co-occurrence to evaluate belief coherence in a large non clinical sample

Pechey, Rachel and Halligan, Peter ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2784-6690 2012. Using co-occurrence to evaluate belief coherence in a large non clinical sample. PLoS ONE 7 (11) , e48446. 10.1371/journal.pone.0048446

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Abstract

Much of the recent neuropsychological literature on false beliefs (delusions) has tended to focus on individual or single beliefs, with few studies actually investigating the relationship or co-occurrence between different types of co-existing beliefs. Quine and Ullian proposed the hypothesis that our beliefs form an interconnected web in which the beliefs that make up that system must somehow “cohere” with one another and avoid cognitive dissonance. As such beliefs are unlikely to be encapsulated (i.e., exist in isolation from other beliefs). The aim of this preliminary study was to empirically evaluate the probability of belief co-occurrence as one indicator of coherence in a large sample of subjects involving three different thematic sets of beliefs (delusion-like, paranormal & religious, and societal/cultural). Results showed that the degree of belief co-endorsement between beliefs within thematic groupings was greater than random occurrence, lending support to Quine and Ullian’s coherentist account. Some associations, however, were relatively weak, providing for well-established examples of cognitive dissonance.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Publisher:	PLoS
ISSN:	1932-6203
Related URLs:	Publisher
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	09 May 2023 20:14
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/44633

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