1. Using more than 10% of our brains: Examining belief in science-related myths from an individual differences perspective
- Author
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Swami, Viren, Stieger, Stefan, Pietschnig, Jakob, Nader, Ingo W., and Voracek, Martin
- Subjects
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SCIENCE & society , *SCIENCE & mythology , *FIVE-factor model of personality , *EXTRAVERSION , *SCIENTIFIC literacy , *GENDER differences (Psychology) - Abstract
There currently exists a dearth of research on the transmission and assimilation of myths. To overcome this limitation, we developed a novel scale that measures belief in science-related myths. A total of 363 participants completed this new scale along with measures of personality (the Big Five factors), anti-scientific attitudes, and New Age orientation. Exploratory factor analysis showed that the items of the belief in myths scale could be reduced to two factors concerning human-related and non-human-related myths. Both factors were internally reliable, were moderately inter-correlated, and were not rated significantly differently by women and men (although human-related myths were rated as significantly more believable than non-human-related myths). Further analysis showed that only human myths were significantly predicted by anti-scientific attitudes and the Big Five factor of Extraversion. These results are discussed in relation to the promotion of scientific literacy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
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