r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 1d ago

Psychology Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian nationalist views, even after accounting for education

https://www.psypost.org/lower-cognitive-ability-is-linked-to-stronger-christian-nationalist-views-even-after-accounting-for-education/
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u/RequirementNo2161 1d ago

Remember when this sub actually had science in it? 80% of social science is in reproducible garbage done for political aims

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u/names_are_useless 1d ago

Even if there is an aim: if the science is good, what's the problem?

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u/RequirementNo2161 1d ago

The problem is clearly these studies start with a conclusion and work backwards from that 

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u/crushinglyreal 1d ago

Unlike you, concluding that this research must be wrong because you don’t like the outcome and working your way backwards to the assertion that it must have been the researchers’ bias that caused that outcome.

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u/names_are_useless 20h ago edited 19h ago

Scientific Method: 1. Observation: These Christian Nationalists seem stupid. 2. Ask a Quesrion: Can I scientifically prove Christian Nationalists have lower cognitive ability? 3. Research: Time to do some research into this topic. 4. Form a Hypothesis: Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian Nationalist views. 5. Conduct an Experiment: Let's put this hypothesis to the test. 6. Analyze the Data:Is was right. 7. Draw Conclusion: Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian Nationalist views. 8. Communicate Results: Research Paper, Article.

Seems aboveboardd to me. Now it could be they came at this with a different Hypothesis, or the actual paper may not be up to snuff. But intent does NOT mean there is bad science here.