In a sample of 599 participants (60% female, 18-81 years), we tested the hypotheses that cognitive ability and the big-six personality traits suffice to explain the individual-difference component of paranormal beliefs (belief in magic, astrology, esoterism, supernatural beings, and spirituality). Additionally, we measured 14 other potential predictors that were found to correlate with paranormal beliefs in prior research (e.g., ontological confusion). Although cognitive ability and the big-six explained 10% of the variance in individual belief, ontological confusion and causality understanding also were significant predictors in regression analyses. The resulting model, explaining 19 % of variance, consists of ontological confusion, cognitive ability (negative correlation), openness to new experiences, emotionality, conscientiousness (neg. corr.) and causality understanding (neg. corr.). We discuss the findings with reference to two hypothetical factors that drive individuals' acceptance of paranormal beliefs, inclination for story-telling, and tendency to evaluate belief content in terms of reason and conscientious evaluation.

Information forms the basis for beliefs, judgements, decision making, and behavior. Nowadays, the amount of information available is continually increasing. Still, the quality and credibility of the corresponding sources vary widely. Thus, to avoid making judgments and decisions on basis of biased information, the credibility of information and sources must be carefully evaluated. However, information regarding the source is often not immediately accessible and, instead, must be purposefully sought. The standard information board paradigm does not include such a source information search. Therefore, we investigated whether that paradigm can be extended with an active search of source information in order to investigate search behaviors with regard to content und source information. To do so, we presented participants with information boards on different topics from two domains (i.e., health and education). The boards contained a question to outline the topic of information search in addition to four related sources. For each source, we provided information on topic-related expertise and potential conflicts of interest as well as content information regarding the question (i.e., pro and contra arguments). Information was hidden so that participants had to actively search the information. We were interested in the search start, search amount, differences in search between the domains and belief revision due to information search. Results show that participants primarily began information search with source expertise before continuing on to content information. In general, both content and source information were searched. Domain did not influence the start but the search amount⎯more information was searched on topics in the educational domain. In addition, search appeared to influence prior beliefs. For some topics, we observed changes in beliefs following information search.The findings indicate that our variations in the information board paradigm can be used to investigate content information search and source information search simultaneously.

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Many people believe in and use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to address health issues or prevent diseases. Empirical evidence for those treatments is either lacking or controversial due to methodological weaknesses. Thus, practitioners and patients primarily rely on subjective references rather than credible empirical evidence from systematic research. This study investigated whether cognitive and personality factors explain differences in belief in CAM and homeopathy. We investigated the robustness of 21 predictors when examined together to obtain insights into key determinants of such beliefs in a sample of 599 participants (60% female, 18-81 years). A combination of predictors explained 20% of the variance in CAM belief (predictors: ontological confusions, spiritual epistemology, agreeableness, death anxiety, gender) and approximately 21% of the variance in belief in homeopathy (predictors: ontological confusions, illusory pattern perception, need for cognitive closure, need for cognition, honesty-humility, death anxiety, gender, age). Individuals believing in CAM and homeopathy have cognitive biases and certain individual differences which make them perceive the world differently. Findings are discussed in the context of previous literature and in relation to other unfounded beliefs.