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The human function compunction: teleological explanation in adults.

Deborah Kelemen¹, Evelyn Rosset

¹Boston University, Department of Psychology, 64 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA. dkelemen@bu.edu

|February 10, 2009

Summary

Adults may implicitly favor purpose-based explanations for natural phenomena, especially under time pressure. This cognitive bias, termed promiscuous teleology, impacts scientific understanding and literacy.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Science Education

Background:

Children exhibit a strong bias towards teleological explanations, attributing purpose to natural phenomena.
Understanding the prevalence and cognitive underpinnings of this bias in adults is crucial for science education.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether adults implicitly share children's bias for teleological explanations.
To explore the relationship between adult teleological bias and factors like scientific knowledge and cognitive control.

Main Methods:

Two experiments were conducted with adult participants (undergraduates).
Study 1 involved judging the correctness of teleological and physical explanations under varying time constraints.
Study 2 examined correlations between teleological bias and scientific knowledge, religious beliefs, and inhibitory control.

Main Results:

Speeded judgment conditions led adults to incorrectly endorse more scientifically unwarranted teleological explanations.
This effect was specific to teleological explanations, not general errors.
Adults' promiscuous teleology showed varying relationships with scientific knowledge, religious beliefs, and inhibitory control.

Conclusions:

Adults, like children, may possess an implicit bias favoring teleological explanations, particularly when cognitive resources are limited.
This cognitive bias has significant implications for scientific literacy and the effectiveness of science education.
Further research is needed to fully understand the interplay between teleological thinking and other cognitive and belief systems.