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Post #1 Red Flags & Reasons for Belief: Assignment #1

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Post #1 Red Flags & Reasons for Belief: Assignment #1

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Made by Leah McMillan, working individually

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Definition:

Appeal to Authority uses authority figures to make a claim that is thought to be true without any supporting evidence. This authority figure will persuade people to buy into the thought or product merely because they’re looked up to or important.

Connection:

The video above discusses YouTubers “scamming” their audiences through their sponsorships. Being an influencer with an audience gives you power to, well, influence, their viewers to endorse and purchase products that may not be all they’re made out to me. An example from this video would be individuals such as Gabbie Hanna and Tana Mongeau promoting Kenza Cosmetics. This unknown company paid these popular creators to promote a deal where all of their makeup brushes, said to be valued at $80 and higher, were now free and customers would merely have to pay the low shipping cost. However, to no surprise, the brushes ended up being extremely cheap quality and buyers were scammed out of their money after being convinced by an influencer, someone they looked up to, to purchase these products with no real evidence backing them up.

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YouTubers Promoting Sketchy Products (Kenza Cosmetics, Mystery Box Gambling)

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Definition:

Ancient wisdom takes products, medicinal items and techniques, and more from ancient civilizations and practices and applies them to modern-day situations. However, less way known at those times than what is known now, and most techniques and practices don’t offer as much as they once claimed.

Connection:

As seen in the picture above, acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves the insertion of tiny needles into different muscles of the body to both physically and emotionally heal the body. Despite it being a popular method to relieve pain, acupuncture has no scientific basis and has depended on its ancient roots to boost the use of it in therapies.

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Definition:

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, or recall information to support or confirm one’s beliefs, theories, or values, forgetting things that contradict those beliefs.

Connection:

Confirmation bias is used in many different cartomancy readings, for example, tarot cards reading, as pictured above. Tarot card readings work by providing insight into users’ questions, life, future, etc., by channelling their spirit guides or other mystical energies. However, the cards hold vague meanings which the practitioners can interpret to suit what is happening in their lives and answer their desired questions. So when the cards tell the user that someone in their life is romantically interested in them or someone is about to apologize for past wrongdoings, the individual will fill in the blanks based on ideas they already had and these meanings begin to fit into their narrative.

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Definition:

Mystical Energy is used to sound scientific, where there is no scientific explanation, to explain emotions or processes within the body through the flow of energy.

Connection:

As pictures above, crystals are combinations of minerals that are said to help purify, balance, or realign the energy that flows through our bodies. Practitioners believe they can boost low energy, prevent bad energy, and transform the body’s aura by surrounding themselves with certain crystals. However, there is no scientific evidence that crystals have any effect on the body other than providing a placebo effect. Practitioners believe the mystical energy from the crystals can affect their lives, health, relationships, and more.

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Definition:

All natural refers to the idea that “all-natural” foods are healthier to consume. However, this isn’t true and, in most cases, “all-natural” doesn’t hold the meaning most consumers would hope.

Connection:

When it comes to food (like pictured above), “all-natural” refers to food that is the closest to its purest form. Consumers believe that “all-natural” foods are better for you than something that contains artificial ingredients, but this may not be true. The FDA doesn’t have an official definition for natural foods and, therefore, categorizes “natural” foods as those without added colours, artificial flavours, or synthetic substances. However, this still allows these “natural” foods to contain hormones, GMOs, and other elements that take the foods away from their purest form. Additionally, “natural” foods don’t have to be produced organically and can be high in calories, fats, sodium, or sugar. Although it may make us feel better to consume “all natural” foods and products, in most cases, “all-natural” doesn’t hold the meaning it should and fools consumers into purchasing these products that aren’t any different, and may be less healthy, than their non-natural counterparts.

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Post #7 Reasons for Belief: Patternicity

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Post #7 Reasons for Belief: Patternicity

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Definition:

Patternicity is the tendency to find patterns in meaningful or meaningless things.

Connection:

The picture above depicts a cloud that looks like a rabbit. Of course, clouds don’t naturally form in these types of shapes, but when we look up at them, our first instinct is to look for shapes that we’re familiar with.

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Definition:

Agenticity is the tendency to assign meaning or intention to invisible beings.

Connection:

The picture above shows an angel/guardian angel; an invisible being that many believe watch over us, offer protection, and send messages through different means to help guide us in life. Obviously, these angels aren’t physically with us, but many believer they can be felt spiritually and use them as a way to bring meaning into their life or decisions.

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Post #9 Reasons for Belief: Emotional Connection

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Post #9 Reasons for Belief: Emotional Connection

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Definition:

Emotional connection refers to when our emotions take over, blurring our reason and rational thought, resulting in us believing in things we may not otherwise.

Connection:

Fortune tellers and/or psychics, as seen in the image above, are often visited when peoples loved ones pass away. Although part of our brain would tell us that they aren’t to be trusted and only provide vague information that multiple people could relate to, the emotional part in us just wants answers as to way our loved ones had to leave so suddenly. This emotion drives us to believe in things we may not otherwise believe in.

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I chose to evaluate crystals and their healing ability.

Define Problem:
Do crystals help heal the mind and body?

Gather Information:
Crystals have seen a rise in popularity due to many believing their energy flow helps rid the body and mind of both physically and emotionally negative energy. Some dismiss crystal healing as pseudoscience while some studies suggest they can provide a placebo effect. An unpublished study from 1999-2001 associated the healing benefits of crystals with the power of suggestion and humans mind had more healing power than the crystals themselves. Crystals are said to hold energy and the body is made up of energy so these two things can exchange energy allowing the crystal to work with the bodies energy.

Evaluate Evidence:
There is no scientific evidence to support the use of crystals. A Live Science article written by Elizabeth Peterson and Jonathan Gordon states most medical doctors and scientists refer to crystal healing as pseudoscience. As stated by Peter Heaney, a mineral science professor, in an article by The Washington Post by Amanda McCracken, there are no National Science Foundation supported studies into crystals and their healing powers since there aren’t any reasons to believe crystals have healing powers.

Recognize Assumptions, Emotions, Biases:
Crystal healing is not harmful on the body itself but believing in crystal healing can be harmful to your health. An article from The Washington Post written by Amanda McCracken identifies that solely believing in the benefits of crystals to cure cancer instead of seeing a physician or to protect you from COVID-19 instead of wearing a mask, can be detrimental to ones health. These crystals can bring joy and happiness, and are beautiful to look at, but that’s the extent of their powers.

Synthesize Evidence, Identify Alternatives:
Alternative solution 1: Crystal healing does effect and heal the mind and body.

Alternative solution 2: Crystal healing doesn’t affect or heal the mind and body.

Select Best Alternative:
I conclude that crystal healing doesn’t affect or heal the mind and body, and the placebo effect and "mind over matter" are largely at play.