I just completed the study and would be interested in the results. Good luck in your doctoral program!
Cap’t Jack
Biggest problem is the word "believe". Some of us "conclude, based on evidence", as opposed to "believe".Many people (only secular folk, though) had that same issue with the wording. Ultimately, the word belief was chosen for either two reasons: 1) because it was most applicable to be understand by the broadest range of participants in the study who come from various ideological perspectives with various verbal intelligences, and 2) because the word was used in the psychological instruments that were standardized and validated upon such a wording. Thanks for taking it!
Biggest problem is the word "believe". Some of us "conclude, based on evidence", as opposed to "believe".I had no problem. Concluding based on evidence is a form of believing. You're just being a prissy atheist. :-P
Strangely, I'm getting lots of secular respondents but very few Christians. This really surprised me.You mean that you've canvassed Christian sites like you've canvassed secular sites like this one and the Christians aren't responding?
I’ve canvassed more secular sites, because I thought recruiting them would be hard, and Christians would be easy. Now I’m trying to contact more Christian sites but their message boards are more strict (won’t let me post new threads until I’ve posted many times before). I’m searching for a way to get in touch with Christians en masse. Would appreciate suggestions that do not include waking up early on Sunday.
Possibly, don’t worry about starting a new thread, just enter your post in one of the more general ones that are already running.
Occam
Possibly, don't worry about starting a new thread, just enter your post in one of the more general ones that are already running. OccamOr you could IM the moderator and explain your purpose. they may be able to exempt you from the requirement or post the request for you.
I've canvassed more secular sites, because I thought recruiting them would be hard, and Christians would be easy. Now I'm trying to contact more Christian sites but their message boards are more strict (won't let me post new threads until I've posted many times before). I'm searching for a way to get in touch with Christians en masse. Would appreciate suggestions that do not include waking up early on Sunday.Maybe ask your university for funds to pay for advertising (asking to participate in survey) on large sites that allow targeted advertising like Facebook?
The part I didn’t understand was the section on random emotions. I’ve suffered with depression most of my life, and I’m going through a difficult time right now. But what does that have to do with my worldview?
The nine-point answering scale seems a big confusing to me. I think I know what it feels like to strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree, but anything beyond that makes me a bit dizzy. Sorry, I couldn’t complete it.
Biggest problem is the word "believe". Some of us "conclude, based on evidence", as opposed to "believe".I had no problem. Concluding based on evidence is a form of believing. You're just being a prissy atheist. :-P Actually, I'm being a pedantic research scientist, but yeah ...
The part I didn't understand was the section on random emotions. I've suffered with depression most of my life, and I'm going through a difficult time right now. But what does that have to do with my worldview?Those emotion questions were used to to investigate various hypotheses. I'd say more, but I don't want to influence future responders from this board
Biggest problem is the word "believe". Some of us "conclude, based on evidence", as opposed to "believe".I had no problem. Concluding based on evidence is a form of believing. You're just being a prissy atheist. :-P Actually, I'm being a pedantic research scientist, but yeah ... The concern with the word belief is fair. A few other secular folk disliked that wording too. Keep in mind that these items were taken from previously validated psychological scales, so if I messed with the wording then the results become questionable as they are not exactly comparable to past findings. Thus, I had to keep things untouched. Additionally, the use of words like belief can be seen as a pragmatic decision for both the purposes of recruiting and for choosing questions that are easily understandable to a diverse population of mixed educational and intelligence levels. I'm dealing with a wide array of participants here, a one size fits all approach was the goal but I was aware that some items would not capture the nuances and be ideal. Thanks for participating
Biggest problem is the word "believe". Some of us "conclude, based on evidence", as opposed to "believe".Exactly, believe means to accept something as true, or false, without sufficient evidence. So "belief" is stupid by definition. That wording does not allow for deliberately thinking in terms of probability instead of true or false. psik
Exactly, believe means to accept something as true, or false, without sufficient evidence. So "belief" is stupid by definition. That wording does not allow for deliberately thinking in terms of probability instead of true or false. psikNot quite:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/believe?s=t be·lieve [bih-leev] Show IPA verb, be·lieved, be·liev·ing. verb (used without object) 1. to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully. verb (used with object) 2. to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive assertion, story, etc.); give credence to. 3. to have confidence in the assertions of (a person). 4. to have a conviction that (a person or thing) is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation: The fugitive is believed to be headed for the Mexican border. 5. to suppose or assume; understand (usually followed by a noun clause): I believe that he has left town.'without sufficient evidence' is not the same as 'without absolute proof'. Sufficient evidence is allowed.
What is the difference between a “proof” and an “absolute proof”?
What is the difference between a “belief” and a “strong suspicion with high probability”?
If I think a dictionary definition is stupid I treat it as such, I don’t use it and try to think with it.
People usually say believe or know, they rarely say “suspect”.
psik
If I look out my window and see a bear running by my house, I can say, “I believe I just saw a bear.” Perfectly fine usage, backed up by sufficient evidence.
Has the usage of this word changed in recent years, to become less broad? 
If I look out my window and see a bear running by my house, I can say, “I believe I just saw a bear." Perfectly fine usage, backed up by sufficient evidence. Has the usage of this word changed in recent years, to become less broad? :confused:But where do you "suspect " the bear is going? What do you "suspect" is his motive for being in your yard in the first place? Also perfectly fine usage! Cap't Jack
If I look out my window and see a bear running by my house, I can say, "I believe I just saw a bear." Perfectly fine usage, backed up by sufficient evidence. Has the usage of this word changed in recent years, to become less broad? :confused:So you don't think there is a difference between "believing" and "knowing" Do you "believe" that you have 4 fingers and a thumb on your right had or do you "know"? There is a problem with lack of precision in language and there is a further problem of people not using language to the degree that it is precise. That is why I did not finish his survey. I was disgusted with reading it before I finished the first page. What are the important things in life. What do the answers mean if the respondents don't agree on what that means. It is vague BS. psik
If I look out my window and see a bear running by my house, I can say, "I believe I just saw a bear." Perfectly fine usage, backed up by sufficient evidence. Has the usage of this word changed in recent years, to become less broad? :confused:If you just saw a bear, why can't you say "I just saw a bear?" Where do beliefs come in? Now I'm confused. Chris