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Kameron Valdez
100910118
GNED 1512: Paranormal and Pseudoscience
Faculty of Liberal Studies, Durham College
Michelle Rivers
October 12, 2023

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Definition:
The notion of Mystical Energy believes that all pseudoscience claims possess some form of "energy".

Connection:
In the realm of spiritual beliefs, it has been claimed that certain crystals possess some form of energy that can be used to transfer healing powers or manifest changes to one's well-being. The 'Rose Quartz' crystal is a perfect example, in which, spiritual individuals believe that the quartz can help manifest love into one's life or promote one's love life by carrying it around or sleeping with it under their pillow at night.
Applying skepticism to the notion of 'Healing Crystals' would benefit any consumer. Questioning all the claims that healing crystals work is important when seeking out scientific proof. From a medical standpoint, it is important that those who seek treatment through healing crystals base their decisions and beliefs on actual scientific proof to reduce the risk of making misinformed decisions. Though there is no scientific evidence that promotes the effectiveness of healing crystals, ideology, which is a set of ideas, plays a role in people's understanding and use of crystals. This further enhances their beliefs in and decisions to use healing crystals as they represent one of the many aspects of the spiritual religion.

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Pseudoscience Watchlist: Results Can't Be Reproduced or Verified 

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Pseudoscience Watchlist: Results Can't Be Reproduced or Verified 

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Definition:
The second Pseudoscience Watchlist states that 'results cannot be reproduced or verified'. This entails that what is claimed has no scientific method, cannot be measured, and there is no way to accurately verify the information.

Connection:
Astrology originates back somewhere between the 18th and 16th centuries B.C. It was not until the 17th century that scientific knowledge of the planets and stars became a popular subject. Oftentimes, astrology is disregarded as real, which is based on the idea that there is no scientific evidence of factual claims. Agenticity, which is the action of designating meaning to invisible beings is another factor to take into account for the pseudoscience surrounding astrology. Oftentimes, to make sense of something, it is natural for humans to assign meaning to objects and beings that are not within physical proximity.
It is important for individuals to apply the critical thinking process when researching mainstream astrology to evaluate the evidence and sources that they find to make sure it is credible. Studies that are carried out to explain astrology produce results that cannot be reproduced or accurately verified by science. While the study of astrology can be scientific in regards to the study of the planets and stars, mainstream astrology (i.e., readings and zodiac signs) does not have any scientific evidence of being factual.

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Anonymous Student

University of Alaska, Anchorage

Revised December 14th, 2021

Since the beginning of time, humans have looked to the natural world to make connections to their everyday lives. From these observations, we have formed two competing concepts: Science and religion. Regardless of what you believe, both of these concepts are valid and naturally coexist in our society today. Astrology is a belief that the celestial bodies in our universe have an impact on our day to day interactions. Although widely regarded, it is considered a pseudoscience for a variety of reasons. To understand this concept, we must first discuss what astrology is, the lack of scientific connection, and how this belief plays a role in our everyday lives.

What is pseudoscience? This concept refers to practices and beliefs that are "erroneously regarded as scientific" (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) meaning they are mistaken to be scientifically accurate. However, before we can apply this to astrology, we must first understand the basis of what astrology is, and how it is used in modern times. By definition, astrology is the idea that due to the position of the stars and celestial bodies in the sky, there are "influences [...] on human affairs and terrestrial events"(Merriam-Webster, n.d.) such as being able to predict the outcome of future events, or determining key traits in an individual's personality. At its root, astrology came from a time long before we had proven scientific answers for phenomena in our natural world. Humans have always participated in science, and by observing the constellations, made their own conclusions as to what they meant. Astrology first began in Mesopotamia, between the 18th to 16th century B.C (Pingree, D. E. and Gilbert, Robert Andrew, 2021, August 9), and was an observation of ancient deities' influence on sun, moon, and other natural occurrences, such as solar eclipses and phases of the moon. (Pingree, D. E. and Gilbert, Robert Andrew, 2021, August 9). For centuries, this belief travelled around the Middle East, before making its way to Western Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. (Pingree, D. E. and Gilbert, Robert Andrew, 2021, August 9) It wasn't until the 17th century that the scientific knowledge of the planets revolving around the sun became a popular view, thus disproving the need for nature deities to explain astrological concepts. (Pingree, D. E. and Gilbert, . Robert Andrew, 2021, August 9). The need for astrology died down in the Western world, until the 1960's, when the "hippie" movement brought back the connection between the mind, body, and nature, often dubbed "The Age of Aquarius" (University of Miami, n.d). This social ideology has held its ground into modern times, with commercialized horoscope readings and the 12 Zodiac Signs being common topics around millennial and gen-z groups today. (Ross, Braden, 30 Nov. 2020)

There are countless reasons for why astrology is disregarded as factual in the modern world, but primarily this is due to there being no proven scientific evidence that these claims are true. Astrology is scientifically misleading, as it uses astronomy as its root. However, the conclusions made are not scientific, rather mere predictions or observations. An interactive checklist by The University of California Berkeley prompts readers to evaluate the scientific value of astrology based on key characteristics of science. The most important on this list being, is astrology testable, does it rely on scientific evidence, and is the scientific community involved. (The University of California Berkeley, n.d) In response to all of these prompts, the answer is simply "No." Although astrology does take into account accurate measurements of the stars and celestial bodies, the conclusions made from these readings are simply too general and broad to be considered an accurate conclusion.

An article written by Venessa Quinn in the American Biology Teacher, Volume 77, discusses the importance of discerning pseudosciences from falsifiability claims. With her students, she notes that it's important to note that a falsifiability claim is one that can potentially be disproven through experiments, and oftentimes people will cite theories that support this claim as evidence, also known as Ad Hoc hypotheses. Quinn proposes several reasons why astrology should be regarded as a pseudoscience. The first is that "Science is a process that corrects and refines scientific ideas...over time by multiple individuals" whereas "pseudoscience does not change or refine its ideas over time"(Quinn, V. S., 2015). An example of this, she points out, is that upon the discovery of a 13th constellation, "Ophiuchus," the astrology community disregarded this constellation as an addition to the 12 zodiac signs, which are based on constellations in the same area (Quinn, V. S., 2015). The unwillingness to accept new data isolates this theory from the scientific community, who strives to discover new information daily. Quinn's additional rationale of astrology's lack of credibility is that evidence is typically based on an individual's personal experiences, rather than a measurable piece of data. Because of this, followers often fall into a confirmation bias, meaning they use their own positive experience as evidence of a truth and disregard claims that were not applicable to them. Quinn also notes that "predictions should be specific and measurable. Instead the predictions are vague and could be applied to a wide range of people" (Quinn, V. S., 2015). She goes on to add that astrology has no mechanism to collect its data. While astrological charts use mathematical calculations and astronomy to identify star positions, the path to making a conclusion does not have any specific area of science that can provide a method to the calculations. Due to these limitations, it cannot be regarded as a science but rather as theory.

When it comes to professional astrologers, they often publish papers that are not peer reviewed or evaluated through a scientific lens, therefore lacking the credibility needed to be accepted. (The University of California Berkeley, n.d). However, there have been various studies that have tried to measure the success of astrologers' claims. In 2005, a study was published by the Department of Psychology at University of Aarhus, Denmark, in collaboration with with Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany to determine "The relationship between date of birth and individual differences in personality and general intelligence" (Hartmann, Peter, 2006). This study was focused on two large groups. The first was over 4,000 middle-aged men who were a part of the Vietnam Experience Study, conducted by the CDC in 1988. (CDC, 2010) The second group consisted of 11,000 young adults from the 1979 National Longitudinal Study of Youth (Hartmann, Peter, 2006). Using data from over 15 thousand individuals, they compared the time, date, place of birth, and astrological positions, to aptitude data from intelligence and personality tests conducted within each respected study. What they concluded is that there was no correlation between "date of birth and individual differences in personality and general intelligence", (Hartmann, Peter, 2006), thus disproving the theory that astrology affects human matters.

Although it is important to note that correlation is not causation, that is not to say astrology does not have significance in many people's lives. Even though it may not be scientifically accurate, astrology in many forms has been around for thousands of years, and is still considered a crucial practice in some cultures. There are many resources for those who are interested, and you can even become a professional astrologer. The Organization for Professional Astrology (OPA) certifies individuals to become professional astrologers, and to map out predictions and guidance for their clients (OPA, 2015). Section One, Part J of their Code of Ethics states that although they are dedicated to their profession, "No astrology system of interpretation or prediction can promise 100% accuracy", acknowledging their lack of credibility in science. Some observers of astrology also argue that although some predictions cannot be rationalized, the evidence gathered through measurements of celestial bodies should be more highly valued. An article in the Russian Social Science Review argues that although astrology is largely based on hypotheses, "astronomical information and the mathematical apparatus serve only to add precision" to these claims (Pruzhinin, B. I., 1995). This claim is one that many make, but is ultimately misleading as a science, rather than a theory, hypotheses, or some other rationale astrology followers try to use. That being said, the Russian Social Science Review regards astrology as a "social science", rather than one based on proven evidence. Among other things, social media is a great way to connect with those interested in astrology, through apps like Instagram and Co-Star, and even daily horoscope podcasts on Spotify. Whatever it may be, astrology can be a fun way to discover more about yourself and make connections to the natural world, even if it is a pseudoscience.

In summary, astrology has been practiced for thousands of years, but it is still regarded as pseudoscience because it lacks scientific evidence. However, that is not to say it does not hold an importance to a large variety of people worldwide. Some phenomena in our world might never be explained, it is only human nature to explore the possibilities and to keep moving forward in our scientific development.

References:

"CDC - Veterans Health - Vietnam Studies - Vietnam Experience Study." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Oct. 2010, https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/veterans/default1c.htm.

Hartmann, Peter, et al. "The Relationship between Date of Birth and Individual Differences in Personality and General Intelligence: A Large-Scale Study." Personality and Individual Differences, Pergamon, 19 Jan. 2006, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886905004046?casa_token=4FEG1c3PUYUAAAAA%3ACclSDHJA9MkghRiH_AxOJk6BEHrTjEtzKCgKh9sPVUGOLZ0cDWvCq63kCkWxfM0Ralyeq-sSAp0

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Astrology. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astrology

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Pseudoscience. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pseudoscience

Opa. "Code of Ethics and By-Laws." Code of Ethics and by-Laws, The Organization for Professional Astrology , 2015, https://www.opaastrology.org/about/code-of-ethics-and-by-laws

Pingree, D. E. and Gilbert, . Robert Andrew (2021, August 9). astrology. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/astrology

Pruzhinin, B. I. (1995). Astrology: Science, pseudoscience, ideology? Russian Social Science Review, 36(5), 75. Retrieved from https://proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/astrology-science-pseudoscience-ideology/docview/236554789/se-2?accountid=14473

Quinn, V. S. (2015). Using Astrology to Confront & Discuss Pseudoscience in the Classroom. The American Biology Teacher, 77(7), 542-548. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2015.77.7.10

Ross, Braden. "The Commercialization of Astrology." The Badger Herald, 30 Nov. 2020, https://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2020/11/30/the-commercialization-of-astrology/

The University of California Berkeley. Astrology: Is It Scientific?, https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/astrology_checklist#

University of Miami. "Age of Aquarius ." The Sixties - the Age of Aquarius, The University of Miami , http://scholar.library.miami.edu/sixties/aquarius.php

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Anonymous Student University of Alaska, Anchorage Revised December 14th, 2021 Since the beginning of time, humans have looked to the natural world to make connections to their everyday lives. From these observations, we have formed two competing concepts: Science and religion. Regardless of what you believe, both of these concepts are valid and naturally coexist in our society today.

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Definition:
In pseudoscience, ideology refers to a set of beliefs that is oftentimes the foundation of individuals' thoughts and decisions.

Connection:
Fengshui has been studied...

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When talking about extraordinary beliefs, it is difficult to combine it with science. However, Feng Shui is the most popular topic that people had a hard time drawing the line between an extraordinary belief and science. Fengshui was created based on the principles of Taoism at least 3000 years ago in China. It is believed to be a complicated system of theories that proved by a large amount of observation and practice. In some books, it was studied due to a mysterious phenomenon that many people born in Hongcun ancient village of China finally became the general or emperor. Scholars who study the location of that village made the hypothesis that the mountain and river are highly correlated with this phenomenon. Later on, many scientific fields like astrology, geography, and chemistry were heavily studied and incorporated into this complicated theory.

While there are more elements of science, people are more likely to convince this theory (belief). For example, the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth) in this theory was the most fundamental in the world, and they create or eliminate each other. In the past time, people who are thirsty at night put a sword in the top of the bowl, and there will have some water in the morning. They firmly believe metal would create water. However, people today know that it is just because water vapor concentrates in the metal especially at cold night. In this case, Feng Shui is nothing but a pseudoscience or superstition, and it was defined as so today.

In fact, the observation of a great amount of Chinese geography helped later scholars to build Feng Shui, and it allowed them to make many hypotheses and pick the evidence from the observation to support their idea. In the field of Feng Shui, there are lots of Feng Shui schools which conflict with each other, and in today's world people could claim them as "master" in a school people never know and making money for their service that could change people's destiny. This trade makes many masters make millions by just giving advice for in-room designing.

People who study and practices the Feng Shui never think it is superstition. Instead, it is more of a theory of symbol. All the theories were based on《I Ching》, and in the book, everything was created by Yin and Yang, and it generates four orientations such as East and West; then these orientations creates eight Gua. Every Gua represents a natural phenomenon such as Wind or Water, and two Gua together are used in the methods of divination, which is forecasting future. Sometimes it was hard to believe this prediction, but they actually did well in most cases. They also do not think Feng Shui is a science, but a simple interaction between human and the environment, and the final goal is to achieve harmony. It has its own language of defining elements and its status in its world, so we cannot use scientific words to judge or measure its logistics.

In sum, Feng Shui is definitely not a science but a form of art in eastern culture. If people measure and test its falsifiability by using the science definition today, it is surely a pseudoscience and superstition. People who study it was a form of traditional art that has been appreciated and passed thousands of years. The creation borrowed many theories in a different kind of area that makes it mysterious and fascinating.

Works Cited:

http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/play/unearthing-shanghais-nine-dragon-pillar-509418/

https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-feng-shui-1275060

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When talking about extraordinary beliefs, it is difficult to combine it with science. However, Feng Shui is the most popular topic that people had a hard time drawing the line between an extraordinary belief and science. Fengshui was created based on the principles of Taoism at least 3000 years ago in China.

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Definition:
The pseudoscience red flag of does not progress, refers to pseudoscientific claims that have origins that date back many years and have not made any effective advancements in its methods.

Connection:
The first warning sign of a pseudoscientific claim that does progress is that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been around for over 2,000 years. According the ancient beliefs, TCM is based on qi, a system of energy in the human body, which includes the use of herbal remedies, various animal parts and needles in combination to treat human ailments.
TCM is an example of ancient wisdom, in the sense that its believers praise it to be just as good, if not better, than current mainstream healthcare. China has pushed for greater acceptance of TCM, however, the results of the effectiveness of TCM remedies have not met global medical standards. Based on extensive assessment of TCM, no studies could prove that the remedies met testing standards.  These results could not be reproduced or verified to allow the green light to promote TCM as safe and effective. While China has been working to put forward TMC, the traditional medicines are currently unregulated and have been found to make individuals more sick.

URL: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-world-health-organization-gives-the-nod-to-traditional-chinese-medicine-bad-idea/

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Definition:
Products and services that are deemed 'All Natural' are synthetic versions designed to be 'safer', more effective and producible in bulk.

Connection:
Alternative medical treatments are non-medical products, therapies, and treatments that offer non-standard treatment in place of standard treatment practices (sometimes deemed as 'All Natural' treatments). In the article, Stacy Simon states that almost 40% of Americans believe that cancer can be cured through alternative therapies. Although in some cases, alternative treatments can assist in making patients feel better, it is not effective alone.
Many individuals tend to find alternative treatments to be tempting due to the appeal of emotions. Oftentimes, people who seek alternative treatments have tried scientific and medical treatments that did not work for them. Alternative treatments can be advertised to those who are more vulnerable and susceptible to accepting alternate forms of treatments.
Individuals should be skeptical when researching alternative treatments to ensure their safety. While some treatments may be effective, that is not to say that all alternative treatments are effective. Applying skepticism to research and understanding alternative treatments is important to the well-being of those wanting to pursue non-scientific methods.

URL: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/latest-news/the-truth-about-alternative-medical-treatments.html#:~:text=Alternative%20and%20complementary%20therapies%20are,to%20work%20through%20scientific%20testing.

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Reasons for Belief: Emotional Connections 

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Reasons for Belief: Emotional Connections 

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Definition:
A reason many people believe is the emotional connections tied to their ability to make rational conclusions about an idea.

Connection:
Psychics have been around for centuries. As of 2019, it has been reported that 4 out of 10 people believed in psychics and that billions of dollars have been spent annually on psychic services.
Individuals believe in psychics due to the emotional connection they feel toward the information pulled from psychic readings. Psychics have been successful throughout centuries due to their tactics of appealing to the emotions of individuals. Their tactics often blur individuals' reasoning and allow them to believe what they want to hear. This is known as confirmation bias, in which people will favour the information that aligns with their beliefs. When hearing the information psychics pull, individuals will retain and believe what is only related to them. And lastly, with psychics, money is often involved. Psychics make their money by utilizing vulnerable people desperate to understand their problems or grief. And due to their popularity and 'credibility' praised by believers, individuals will spend all their money on psychics to help bring them closure.

URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/hot-thought/201904/should-you-believe-in-psychics

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Definition:
Agenticity is the idea that individuals typically assign meaning to "agents" (often inanimate or invisible beings).

Connection:
The belief in the unlucky number 13 is a common superstition in Western culture. The origin of the superstition surrounding the number is said to be possibly associated with Christianity and the undesired 13th guest, Judas, at the Last Supper. However, the truth to it all is that sociocultural processes can associate bad luck with any number. That being said, the belief in the unlucky number 13 can be attributed to agenticity, in which individuals assign meaning to things.
Individuals' tendencies to attribute negativity towards the number 13  have likely had something bad happen involving that number (i.e., Friday the 13th). This presents a form of confirmation bias, in which individuals associate belief of bad luck with the number based on their own experiences.
Individuals oftentimes confuse causation and correlation. While there are many people who believe bad luck is associated with the number 13, there is no real scientific evidence that the number 13 is the cause of bad luck. While there may be some correlations between bad luck and 13, correlation does not equal causation.

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Distinguished Professor Emeritus of sociology Barry Markovsky writes for The Conversation about the superstition around the number 13.

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Aliens and UFOs

Definition:
The third Pseudoscience Watchlist states that pseudoscientific claims 'deliberately create mystery'. Which caters to individuals' love of mystery and need for excitement. This watchlist puts mystical or spiritual agents at work leaving believers to unexplainably reiterate what they saw.

Connection:
- results can't be reproduced or verified

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Definition:
The red flag of Appeal to Authority entails the use of credible individuals in their fields, institutions, certified professionals or even celebrities as the face of research to enhance the credibility of a product.

Connection:
Kim Kardashian is one of the most well-known celebrities in the media. From modelling to reality TV to designing her own line of intimates and loungewear, she has become one of the ideal faces of fashion and beauty. In 2012, Kim became the face of QuickTrim's dieting pills, designed to help women lose weight. With Kim's popularity in the media, the use of her and her body as an advertisement for dieting pills promoted the idea that by taking these pills, consumers would slim down as quickly as Kim.
There are many reasons why consumers believe that using this product would benefit their well-being. Individuals' emotional connections to major celebrities, such as Kim, is an example of why individuals are willing to consume products she promotes, with the belief that they would eventually look like her. Being a supporter of a high-status celebrity allows individuals to believe what they promote works and obscure their rationale about the true safety and effectiveness of the product.
Due to Kim's work in the fashion and beauty industry, promoting this type of product allows her to reach a specific audience of consumers who want to be like her. Those on social media are often susceptible to being influenced not only by what is shown in the media but also by those around them. Group-think can be seen to play a role in the belief in the effectiveness of the product as everyone is suggesting that the product has worked for them and that if Kim Kardashian can be successful in losing weight, they can to.

URL: https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2012/03/06/GNC-Walmart-and-the-Kardashians-targeted-in-QuickTrim-lawsuit#:~:text=The%20makers%20of%20the%20QuickTrim,to%20a%20class%20action%20lawsuit.

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Pseudoscience Watchlist: Often Appeals to Emotion

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Pseudoscience Watchlist: Often Appeals to Emotion

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Definition:
The fifth Pseudoscience Watchlist states that claims 'often appeal to emotion'. This entails that claims often use personal anecdotes and emotional connections that target vulnerable people.

Connection:
Conversion Therapy (CT) refers to a treatment based on the belief that homosexual individuals are in denial about their sexual orientation. CT is considered to be a pseudoscience on the basis that it claims individuals are not homosexual and that it can be 'treated out' of them. This type of pseudoscience often appeals to the emotions of the individual as well as the loved ones of the individual.
From a scientific standpoint, there is evidence that analyzes the biological component related to human sexuality.
As society progresses, it is important to debunk the notion of conversion therapy. Manipulating individuals who stray from heteronormativity exposes the falseness and discredit to scientific evidence that proves there is a biological component to sexual identity in humans.

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Definition:
The red flag of Confirmation Bias is the idea that individuals tend to sway their memory to align with their beliefs while overlooking memories that don't.

Connection:
Eyewitness accounts are typically individuals who were bystanders at a crime scene who are required to reiterate what they saw. While eyewitness accounts can be helpful in finding the perpetrator, they are not always accurate. There are many factors that would contribute to the ineffectiveness of eyewitness testimonies. Confirmation Bias tends to be a major factor that devalues the credibility of an eyewitness testimony.
There is often a great misconception in regard to how memories work, which results in reiterating what happened based on an individual's memory and perception of the crime. An individual's perception and observation of an event are often skewed when their psychological beliefs about an event are biased toward all parties involved. With an individual's psychological beliefs as well as their observation of the event, their perception and what they choose to believe devalues the credibility of their testimony.
During criminal investigations, officers often appeal to the emotions of individuals. This allows the vulnerable eyewitness to discuss their personal feelings and thoughts towards a particular crime. Emotions and stress from the crime can also devalue the credibility of their testimony.

URL: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-the-eyes-have-it/

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Pseudoscience Watchlist: Convinced by Faith and Beliefs (In Spite of Evidence)

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Pseudoscience Watchlist: Convinced by Faith and Beliefs (In Spite of Evidence)

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Definition:
The sixth Pseudoscience Watchlist states that some pseudoscientific claims are convinced by faith and beliefs, regardless of (scientific) evidence.

Connection:
Faith healing is a form of therapy that is based purely on belief.  Though it is not exempted from science, it is the furthest from science-based as it gets. Individuals who focus on faith healing are convinced by faith and their beliefs that those of a higher power (i.e., a god) can cure their illness, injury, or ailments.
Their ideologies surrounding faith healing are based on their cultural and religious identities, which is the basis for their decision-making. They believe the presence of a spiritual being can heal them but do not have any scientific proof.
Individuals who believe in a specific faith (i.e., Christianity, Judaism, etc) may feel more strongly about the power of their religion's spiritual beings, which may cloud their judgment and affect their decisions.
Additionally, this belief can also be viewed as appealing to emotions. Much of the evidence surrounding faith healing are testimonies of individuals who have experienced faith healing for their illness, with no scientific evidence.

URL: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/faith-healing/