Suckers for pseudoscienceSuckers for pseudoscience
All In The Mind
When it comes to pseudoscience you might consider yourself to be a sceptic But don’t give yourself too much credit because we’re all vulnerable to believing dubious claims. This is because of powerful cognitive biases in the brain—and we could actually be satisfied with quite shallow explanations for things—and for being suckers for pseudoscience.
29:07•23 Feb 2020
Why Smart People Still Fall for Pseudoscience
Episode Overview
- Pseudoscience often mixes familiar scientific language with unsupported claims, making it feel more credible than it is.
- Our brains tend to add new scientific information to long-held beliefs rather than replace those beliefs outright.
- Biases like illusory causation and the illusion of explanatory depth make us overconfident in shallow explanations.
- Single negative anecdotes about treatments can strongly sway people against evidence-based medical decisions.
- Being gently sceptical, questioning your own beliefs, and reframing arguments around others’ values can help counter pseudoscientific thinking.
“You have to just be constantly willing to interrogate your own beliefs and why you came to some conclusion.”
Curious about how others pick apart their own thinking? This episode of All In The Mind digs into why even the most sceptical among us can be sucked in by pseudoscience, from herbal cures and homeopathy to wellness fads and astrology. Host Sana Kadar chats with cognitive scientist Dr Micah Goldwater from The University of Sydney, who studies how people think and learn.
He explains pseudoscience as explanations that "blend things that are kind of science-y sounding, but aren't actually grounded in real evidence," and shows how easily everyday beliefs – like catching a cold from being out in the cold – get mixed with genuine science into something that feels convincing but isn’t supported.
You’ll hear how childhood ideas, such as which things are "alive", stick with us into adulthood, even for biology professors, and why our brains prefer adding new information to old beliefs rather than throwing the old ones away. Goldwater breaks down key cognitive biases, including illusory causation (assuming something worked just because it happened before we got better) and the "illusion of explanatory depth", where we think we understand how things work until we try to explain them.
A big part of the conversation is about the power of anecdotes. Goldwater’s research shows that a single negative story about a treatment can outweigh solid data, making people reject helpful medical options. That’s particularly relevant for anyone weighing up health decisions in recovery, where quick fixes and miracle claims can be tempting.
The episode doesn’t pretend there’s a magic shield against misinformation, but it offers a practical mindset: stay sceptical of your own beliefs, ask what evidence they rest on, and seek genuinely qualified experts rather than the most charismatic voice in the room. As Sana signs off, it’s all about keeping your scepticism healthy – so where might your own favourite "little beliefs" be bending the science more than you realise?
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