A recent scientific study aimed to investigate how beliefs polarized attitudes toward newly emerging research topics are raising some interesting questions about belief and provide clear and present evidence of high levels of cognitive dissonance, particularly among the devout and politically conservative participants.
The Polarization increased in the higher educated sample of conservative believers, that support the evidence of cognitive dissonance that confirm the nature of the insipid affliction, and expand our woeful lack of evidence about the pathogenesis of a mental disease that undermine and usurp our sanity in every sense imaginable.
Though dissonance is never mentioned by the researchers as probable cause, the evdice is conclusive. Alarmingly so if you look at it without any bias or preconception. A summary of their findings are as follow:
The researchers found little evidence of political or religious polarization for nanotechnology and genetically modified food.
The opposite was found with stem cell research, the big bang theory, and evolution. On each of these issues, individuals with higher education, science education and literacy had more polarized beliefs.
Although the evidence clearly support the notion of cognitive dissonance, the researchers conclude that further research is needed to determine the reason.
From my point of view it seems the only way that we can benefit from most of the research done these days, is to evaluate the findings from a shared perspective. That is, if we had the means to do so.
And dare we not, do we continue to hold science accountable for what we believe, or take a leap of faith and rise above our beliefs to see the world without any bias, confabulation or misconception.
We could if we would you know?
