Paranormal believers are quicker but less accurate in rejecting the presence of the target in conjunction visual search compared to skeptics

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that paranormal believers may exhibit cognitive dysfunctions, yet their performance in conjunction with visual search has not been understood. To address this issue, we examined the performance of both paranormal believers and skeptics in a conjunction visual search task, paying particular attention to their search time and accuracy across different set sizes in both target-present (TP) and target-absent (TA) trials. In our study, believers demonstrated a tendency toward speed but also displayed carelessness compared to skeptics when rejecting the presence of the target. Conversely, skeptics exhibited slower search times but demonstrated greater accuracy both in rejecting the presence of the target and in finding it. Overall, our findings suggest that believers were quicker and less accurate in rejecting the presence of the target in conjunction visual search compared to skeptics, highlighting potential differences in cognitive processing between skeptics and believers. Significant statementOur study investigates the performance of paranormal believers and skeptics in conjunction with visual search tasks, shedding light on potential differences in cognitive processing between the two groups. While believers demonstrate faster search times, they also display greater carelessness compared to skeptics when rejecting the targets presence. In contrast, skeptics exhibit slower search times but higher accuracy in both rejecting and finding the target. These findings underscore the importance of considering individual belief systems in understanding cognitive performance in conjunction with visual tasks.