Some people believe that they can influence events through the practice of witchcraft. Others are convinced that extraterrestrial beings are among us. Many believe that psychics can predict the future. Why do people believe these things? This will be a project course in which students conduct their own research in the library and in the laboratory about their favorite weird beliefs. The objective of the research will be to identify the social, cultural, and cognitive factors that predispose people to hold beliefs that are not supported by evidence. Students will be required to make several brief talks about their research and to write a final paper summarizing their results.
