Presentation Master's thesis - Anna Ceramicola - social psychology

Previous research has identified many predictors of science rejection, including spirituality. Science rejection, exemplified by vaccine hesitancy and climate change denial, poses significant public health and environmental challenges. Although the link between spirituality and science rejection is well-established, the underlying reasons remain unexplored. This study therefore aimed to deepen the understanding of why spiritual individuals tend to reject science in order to propose effective solutions. Building on social identity theory (Tajfel et al., 1971) showing how, through the internalisation of group norms, social identities influence people’s self-concept, attitudes and behaviours, this study investigated whether social identity moderates the relationship between spirituality and science rejection. The findings confirmed the established link between spirituality and science rejection but found no evidence that social identity moderates this relationship. Nonetheless, this study provides valuable insights into the motivations behind science rejection and suggests improvements for future research. By proposing refined methodologies, this study lays the groundwork for creating interventions, such as workshops led by spiritual scientists, which could foster more positive attitudes towards science among spiritual individuals. Such interventions could bridge the gap between science and spirituality and mitigate misinformation and promote public health, environmental sustainability, and technological advancement.