Cognitive Biases, Pseudoscience, and Belief Formation Analysis

This report examines cognitive biases and their influence on belief formation, particularly in the context of a new weight-loss device and a website promoting healing music. The report explores how cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias and heuristics, can lead individuals to believe in the effectiveness of a product even without objective evidence. It contrasts scientific and pseudoscience approaches, highlighting the characteristics of each. The analysis of the website reveals elements of both scientific and pseudoscience, with the healing music being presented as a scientific approach due to its relaxation effects, while acknowledging the lack of concrete scientific explanations for its stress-reducing properties. The report references several academic sources to support its claims and provides examples of how cognitive biases and pseudoscience influence decision-making and belief systems.

WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN
WEIRD THINGS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
PART 2............................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Present study will explain cognitive biases and reason why friend, and perhaps all of other
people who have used this device, might believe that it is working despite there being no
objective evidence. Furthermore, it will analyze site and will claim whether it is characteristics as
scientific or pseudoscience approach.
PART 1
As per the given scenario new device “neurovestibular system” has come into market. The
machine is useful in losing weight (Brandhorst & et.al, 2015). The doctor who has tested this
machine has found optimistic results and there are many other persons who has got positive
outcome by using this system. People need proof and scientific reason of working of this
system. Though there is no evidence for this machine but still there are many people those who
are using it frequently in order to decrease their weight.
Cognitive bias is the thinking process of each person that influences their decision
making to a great extent (Norman & et.al, 2017). Cognitive bias is considered as errors in
thinking. There are many individuals those who make their mind by listening the views of others
or interpret information that are around them. Mental short cuts or known as heuristics plays the
significant role in this respect. If person find any shortcut way to perform the task, then it can
lead to errors in thinking. Apart from this, motivations, mind ability, social pressures are the
major factors that can lead or contribute to these biases (Montibeller &Von Winterfeldt, 2015).
Figure 1:cognitive bias
(Source: Influence of Cognitive Biases in Distorting Decision Making and
Leading to Critical Unfavorable Incidents, 2015)
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As people those who have used this neurovestibular system have also taken care of diet
and other elements. That is why they have found positive results. Many times' motivation makes
the mind of person positive and they think that it is worthwhile thus; they also get affirmative
results after using this device. It is not essential that all the time these cognitive biases give bad
results. Psychologists believes that these biases help the person in making correct decisions.
People those who are overweight feel very depressed thus, if they get to know about machine
which can help them in losing their weight then they will not pay more attention on evidences.
They will make decisions to use it quickly (Ioannidis & et.al, 2014). For instance, if dark
shadow is following person then in such situation individual will take immediate decision to run
from this danger but it might be possible that this dark shadow caused by flag waving. But
mental shortcuts always motivate person to find immediate solution of issue (Fang & Wilhelm,
2015).
Confirmation bias, heuristic, halo effects, self serving bias, actor- observer bias can help
person in believing on this machine despite there is no evidence for results. Halo effects
describe beliefs of individual about own character specially in case of physical attraction. Thus,
if individual wants to be fit then he/ she will not look at evidence and they will use this device
quickly (de Hullu & et.al, 2017).
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Brandhorst, S. & et.al., (2015). A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system
regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan. Cell metabolism. 22(1).
86-99.
de Hullu, E. & et.al., (2017). Cognitive bias modification and CBT as early interventions for
adolescent social and test anxiety: two-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.
Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. 55. 81-89.
Fang, A. & Wilhelm, S. (2015). Clinical features, cognitive biases, and treatment of body
dysmorphic disorder. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 11. 187-212.
Online:
Cognitive bias. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
< https://searchenterpriseai.techtarget.com/definition/cognitive-bias >
Influence of Cognitive Biases in Distorting Decision Making and
Leading to Critical Unfavorable Incidents. 2015.[PDF]. Available through <
https://www.google.co.uk/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=15&ved=2ahUKEwi0iY3T_ardAhVKq48KHR4q
Dn8QFjAOegQIARAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mdpi.com%2F2313-576X
%2F1%2F1%2F44%2Fpdf&usg=AOvVaw32LpCEB0r9Xq8GFGxc5bWr>
PART 2
There is huge difference between scientific approach and pseudoscience or red flags.
Scientific method is considered as system that used for finding actual facts. There are many
psychological studies that have been conducted by using scientific approach. This has features of
empirical observation and replicable experiments. This method always ensures to involve pure
reason of particular thing (Cognitive bias, 2018). This approach describes that results that are
obtained are provisional. Another characteristic of scientific approach is that it is systematic in
nature. It concentrates on planned studies and doesn’t believe on observations.
On other hand pseudoscience approach can be characterised by unfalsifiable claims. In
this method there is absence of systematic practices, it is completely depended upon the
observation of particular persons. Pseudoscience approach describes characteristic indifference
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from facts (What is Attuned Vibrations about, 2018).
From the analysis of link, it is found that attuned vibrations are the instrument that is used
for high quality healing music. This explains that by exposing towards healing frequencies
individual can achieve great consciousness. This instrument is embedded with brainwave
entrainment technology. It is scientific fact that gives relaxation to the individual. Thus, it is
included in the list of scientific approach (Fang & Wilhelm, 2015).
The main reason of using healing frequencies is that human body has its own resonant
frequency, sound and vibrations impact on individual’s body that affect mental and physical
condition of the person. Though it is also related with the pseudoscience approach because
people feel relaxed by listening music, they think that music can make them feel free and can
raise their energy as well (Montibeller & Von Winterfeldt, 2015). There is no scientific reason
behind this fact that how music contributes in decreasing stress level of the person. On other
hand there is scientific fact behind the truth that healing music is helpful in decreasing the stress.
Science and development in technologies have supported in re-discovering issues and finding
actual impact on health. Love, happiness, personal development develops confidence of the
individual. These are sensations in life of individual and these vibrations changes perceptions of
human beings (Brandhorst & et.al, 2015). Vibrations that are depended on other elements
regulates health and mood of person. Hence, these healing frequencies supports in maintaining
balance in the human body and make them feel good.
For example: Pseudoscience approach states there are many things that resist to changes
such as Homeopathic medicines. Medical professionals of that field keeps the same belief and do
not conduct any kind of systematic tests for confirming ideas behind using these medicines.
People those who believe in these medicines always give suggestions to others for using these
tablets. There is no scientific reason behind it that how these homeopathic tablets improve health
of a person (Fang & Wilhelm, 2015).
The main feature of Pseudoscience approach is that it appeals to authority. It has not
appropriate data to prove facts. A halo effect is element that influences mind of particular person
towards product and services. Though, there is no reason why other person makes decision in the
favour of particular thing by hearing positive comments from others. But still if individual is
motivated with the particular thing or highly affected with factor then it can influence their mind
to a great extent. By this way person can change their decisions without looking at evidences
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(What is Attuned Vibrations about, 2018).
By analysing the site, it is found that healing music is a scientific approach because there
is no specific fact that how music makes individuals feel good but still whenever person listen to
music they feel happy and forget their all issues. But to some extent brain stimulation process
allows the individual to be relaxed by musical tunes (Montibeller & Von Winterfeldt, 2015).
Though, transformative potential of sound is verified scientifically and that vibration makes
changes in structure of matter. Music impact on human body, this fact has been rediscovered by
the modern science but still people do not know scientific reason.
REFERENCES
Ioannidis, J. P. & et.al., (2014). Publication and other reporting biases in cognitive sciences:
detection, prevalence, and prevention. Trends in cognitive sciences. 18(5). 235-241.
Montibeller, G. & Von Winterfeldt, D. (2015). Cognitive and motivational biases in decision and
risk analysis. Risk Analysis. 35(7). 1230-1251.
Norman, G. R. & et.al., (2017). The causes of errors in clinical reasoning: cognitive biases,
knowledge deficits, and dual process thinking. Academic Medicine. 92(1). 23-30.
Online
What is Attuned Vibrations about. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
< https://attunedvibrations.com/ >
CONCLUSION
From above study it can be concluded that cognitive bias is systematic pattern that is used
by person to make decisions. Human brain perceives information according to their preferences
and experience. These things influence their mind and they make decisions without looking at
the evidences.
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