Do you believe in psychics, ghosts, or communication with the dead? If so, you may be experiencing a high level of stress or feel a loss of control over your life, according to a study in PLOS ONE.
While the study’s authors took great pains to emphasize that the beliefs in paranormal phenomena are not necessarily caused by stress or feelings of having no control, they point out that the relationship between the two are strong.
“Findings support the notion that traditional paranormal belief is associated with external control, specifically the notion that unknown supernatural forces/powers influence existence,” the authors of the study said in a press release.
Why is this important? Higher levels of paranormal belief typically equate with a lower level of trust in science. That, in turn, could increase trust in unproven alternative medical approaches and conspiracy theories, and decrease trust in vaccines, as well as other ...
