#3253. The seductive allure of the brain: Dualism and lay perceptions of neuroscience

October 2026publication date
Proposal available till 29-05-2025
4 total number of authors per manuscript0 $

The title of the journal is available only for the authors who have already paid for
Journal’s subject area:
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous);
Developmental and Educational Psychology;
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology;
Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology;
Cognitive Neuroscience;
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Abstract:
Laypeople prefer brain explanations of behavior. The research suggests that this preference arises from ‘intuitive Dualism’. For the Dualist, mentalistic causation elicits a mind-body dissonance, as it suggests that the immaterial mind affects the body. The scholars predict stronger brain preference for epistemic traits–those perceived as least material, even when no explanation is required. Experiments 1-2 showed that epistemic traits elicited stronger preference for brain tests. Experiment 3 confirmed that epistemic traits are perceived as immaterial. Experiment 4 showed that, the less material the trait seems, the stronger the surprise and brain preference. Results offer new insights into public perception of science, the role of intuitive Dualism, and the seductive allure of neuroscience.
Keywords:
causal reasoning; core knowledge; dualism; folk psychology; allure of neuroscience

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