https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25 en-us 2023-10-08 19:17:28 UTC 2023-11-25 01:00:13 UTC hello@padlet.com kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2737271071 Kameron Valdez
100910118
GNED 1512: Paranormal and Pseudoscience
Faculty of Liberal Studies, Durham College
Michelle Rivers
October 12, 2023]]> 2023-10-08 19:20:52 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2737271071 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741007943 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.

]]> 2023-10-11 02:42:41 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741007943 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741008425 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

]]> 2023-10-11 02:42:59 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741008425 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741008751 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.

]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:13 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741008751 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009024 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/]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:25 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009024 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009278 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.


]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:38 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009278 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009456 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/

]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:45 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009456 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009561 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.]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:50 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009561 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009653 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/]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:53 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009653 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009769 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.]]> 2023-10-11 02:43:58 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741009769 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741010206 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]]> 2023-10-11 02:44:15 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741010206 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741010678 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. ]]> 2023-10-11 02:44:21 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741010678 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741010922 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...


]]> 2023-10-11 02:44:31 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2741010922 kameronvaldez https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2744464883 2023-10-13 01:44:42 UTC https://padlet.com/kameronvaldez/zhjql0mxz52xes25/wish/2744464883