Why do otherwise smart and rational people believe in psychics?

[TZ]

You all know my profession. I am getting surprised by the amount of woo beliefs I hear some of my coworkers spout sometimes. One of my really good friends (does the same job I do, in fact trained me) was talking about this really "talented" psychic she went to see on a lark and how eerie her predictions were. Outside of the predictions about her owning several houses (seems obvious, she was pretty obviously well off I think) and the subjective "predictions" of how her and her husband relate was this warning to "beware
of those difficult stairs you have in your house". Well she lived in a one floor apartment at the time and the stairs weren't bad at all.
But 5 years later, she bought a house with a spiral staircase that was "difficult". So that was "proof" of this visionaries ability. Oy. I had to work really hard to keep my mouth shut on that one...:crazy:

[semillama]

1. Have you ever read Michael Shermer's essay on cold reading?

He was a "pyschic for a day" - went in and posed as various types of pyschic advisors such as tarot, palm reading, etc, and did it with little to no preparation, just a knowledge of how to cold read people. Apparently he was pretty successful.

[TZ]

4. I did get into a discussion about "cold reading" with her...

And she acknowledged the possibility of it, but not in this case. This person just knew "too much".
*Sigh*

[trotsky]

2. Haven't you ever wished you could know things that are unknowable?

I know I have. But it's an uncertain universe. A lot of otherwise very rational people are uncomfortable with that uncertainty. I think that's what compels them to believe - at least somewhat - in some kind of "force" that we can sometimes tap into or glimpse and alleviate that uncertainty. Enough that they're willing to ignore the misses and concentrate on the hits, which of course is at the root of ALL woo.

[cosmik debris]

3. Suspension of disbelief is too easy.

And it is too common as well. Every time you watch TV or a movie, every time you read a novel, and every time you listen to a Bush press conference, you have to suspend disbelief. It has become ordinary behavior. Nobody thinks about it anymore. It is part of our conditioning now.

So when a psychic asks a person to suspend disbelief, it is like turning on the TV, quick, easy, and painless. The switch from reality to fantasy goes un-noticed unless you pay close attention.

[Dr. Strange]

5. I think there are several factors...

but the biggest one is probably the government's use of chemtrails.

Some of it might also be due to the consumption of dihydrogen monoxide. But frankly, I find that explanation to be absurd.

[TZ]

6. lol

I feel a bit like I've been RR'ed. And here I thought you were going to post something serious, being a professional and all. Oh wait, I forgot..you aren't really university material are you?;-)

[Warpy]

7. I have no idea, but every time some so called psychic

from neighborhood Gypsies to New Ager types offers me a "free" reading, I decline and tell them I prefer to be surprised.

That totally flummoxes them. Try it sometime.

[Dr. Strange]

8. Why does it flummox them?

Why the hell didn't they see it coming?
It's stuff like that that makes me lose faith in psychics.

[Warpy]

9. Aw hell, they know they're frauds

It flummoxes them because they can't conceive of anyone who doesn't want an edge that knowing the future will give.