S4 Ep 3: Your Mind on Religious and Scientific Explanations Dr. Telli Davoodi
Listen now
How often do you find yourself pondering existential questions—like the meaning of life or what happens after we die? This week, we're joined by Dr. Telli Davoodi, to speak about her research on how both scientific and religious explanations address these questions and psychological roles they play in our lives. Dr. Davoodi also shares insights from her cross-cultural studies, exploring how children form beliefs about concepts they can’t directly observe. In this moving episode, Beth and Ava open up about their own beliefs and personal experiences with finding meaning in life. Spoiler alert: Beth gets emotional!
Learn More
Dr. Telli Davoodi
Research discussed
-
Davoodi, T., & Clegg, J. M. (2022). When is cultural input central? The development of ontological beliefs about religious and scientific unobservables. Child Development Perspectives, 16(1), 34-40.
-
Davoodi, T., & Lombrozo, T. (2022). Explaining the existential: Scientific and religious explanations play different functional roles. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 151(5), 1199.
-
Davoodi, T., Jamshidi-Sianaki, M., Abedi, F., Payir, A., Cui, Y. K., Harris, P. L., & Corriveau, K. H. (2019). Beliefs about religious and scientific entities among parents and children in Iran. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 10(7), 847-855.
-
Davoodi, T., Corriveau, K. H., & Harris, P. L. (2016). Distinguishing between realistic and fantastical figures in Iran. Developmental Psychology, 52(2), 221.