The Role of Doublethink and Other Coping Processes in Paranormal and Related Beliefs

Abstract

Two online surveys were undertaken to investigate relationships between the intensity of paranormal and related beliefs and the predictors of coping style and proneness to 'doublethink', the tendency to endorse contradictory beliefs concurrently. In Study 1, completed by 257 participants, Traditional Religious Beliefs were related to proneness to doublethink, but not to coping style. New Age Beliefs were not correlated with either set of predictors. A second objective of Study 1 was to examine the possibility that elevated existential anxiety would exacerbate the intensity of paranormal and related beliefs. No evidence for such an effect was educed. In Study 2, completed by 534 adults, proneness to doublethink and deficits in reality testing were found jointly to predict the intensity of both New Age Beliefs and Traditional Religious Beliefs. Given the conceptual significance of the study's hypotheses it is hoped that future researchers will pursue these issues through more sophisticated methods.