A study suggests that those who believe in spooks and the supernatural trust their instincts more than those who are sceptical.
It means that, when presented with unexplained phenomena, they are likely to go with their gut feelings rather than apply analytical reasoning.
Experts looked at 71 studies conducted across 40 years into people who believe in hauntings and clairvoyance, with the vast majority dismissing them as “uncritical and foolish” by applying modern psychology to the findings – the team were able to establish that the actual evidence was not as conclusive.
Lead researcher Charlotte Dean said: “The difference between believers and sceptics seems to come from how flexible their thinking style is, and how they approach novel or abstract problems. It’s not that believers are less intelligent. It’s to do with the application of their problem-solving skills.”
