Chapter 3 in Thinking Like a Psychological Scientist describes the different ways people develop and maintain their beliefs. In an original post of no less than 200 words, discuss the way each of these processes has shaped or reinforced your religious beliefs. Have these processes changed as you have gotten older?
Tenacity – Are you willing to entertain other beliefs or ideas?
Personal experience – How general are your experiences? Are there other explanations?
Authority – Which “experts” or authority figures have influenced your religious thinking? Do they know more than you do?
Anecdotes – Have the personal experiences of friends or loved ones influenced your religious thinking? Are these stories generalizable?
Empiricism – Are your religious beliefs influenced by systematic observation and objective analysis? Explain.
