We probably all know someone who is highly intelligent but who has fallen prey to questionable ideas. For example, there are many intelligent people who believe that vaccines are linked to autism, despite considerable evidence that no such link exists. Similarly, there continue to be highly intelligent people who deny the evidence of global warming and argue that astrology is a scientific discipline. We will discuss research that demonstrates that intelligence is not isomorphic to critical thinking. In other words, intelligence does not protect against irrationality. In our review, we will highlight key findings in this line of research and discuss strategies that may buffer against inaccurate and biased decision-making.
Candice Basterfield is a first-year student in the clinical psychology program at Penn State. She is interested in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety and depression, and has an interest in scientific thinking and critical thinking as they apply to clinical psychology.
Shauna Bowes is a fifth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at Emory University in Atlanta. Shauna earned her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology from Emory University. She worked with Dr. Scott Lilienfeld until his passing and currently works with Dr. Arber Tasimi. Her principal areas of research are intellectual humility, abnormal and normal personality traits, political polarization, conspiratorial ideation and unusual beliefs, rationality, and the implications of cognitive biases for practice, interpersonal dialogue, and belief formation. Shauna has contributed to Skeptical Inquirer in the past and is eager to continue discussing psychological science in popular press formats.
This talk took place on December 9, 2021, at 7:00 pm EDT.