Unscientific Thinking and Believing

[DISCLAIMER]

I’m a professional practitioner of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) which is a psychotherapeutic modality that primarily uses two main techniques: the ABC model and unconditional acceptance. Incorporated into this model is the scientific method, described thusly:

It involves careful observation, applying rigorous skepticism about what is observed, given that cognitive assumptions can distort how one interprets the observation. It involves formulating hypotheses, via induction, based on such observations; the testability of hypotheses, experimental and the measurement-based statistical testing of deductions drawn from the hypotheses; and refinement (or elimination) of the hypotheses based on the experimental findings.

Noteworthy, in a blogpost entitled Challenging Disappointment, I stated, “Science neither proves nor disproves ideas. Rather, it accepts or rejects data based on supporting or refuting evidence and revises conclusions based on additional evidence.” As such, REBT uses disputation.

In particular, the ABC model illustrates that when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe some unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption and not the occurrence itself that causes an unpleasant Consequence. This process is called self-disturbance.

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of these unproductive assumptions in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Thus, accepting or rejecting a belief based on its practical utility is a matter of scientific practice.

For clarity, there’s a difference between a thought and a belief. The former is defined as something (such as an opinion) in the mind and the latter is defined as a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing.

When providing psychoeducation about REBT, I invite people to consider that in and of themselves thoughts aren’t necessarily self-disturbing. As an example, I think the taste of pickled beets is disgusting. Still, the opinions of other people differ from my subjective thought.

Therefore, I don’t believe that people shouldn’t, mustn’t, or oughtn’t to eat pickled beets. This is because I understand that a belief is something which is accepted, considered to be true, and although I don’t care for pickled beets it isn’t true that others mustn’t consume the vegetable.

In a blogpost entitled A Scientific Approach to Mental Health I clarified that “science describes what is, though it doesn’t prescribe what ought to be” and added, “Science is a process, not a conclusion. Similarly, a belief is a description and doesn’t have to serve as a final prescription.”

Unhelpfully, many people tend to regard beliefs as rigid prescriptions which must be obeyed by oneself, others, and life in general. This description-prescription distinction is what separates scientific from unscientific thinking and believing.

With understanding of this key difference, it may be useful to illustrate examples of unscientific cognitive processes which people use when disturbing themselves. Per one REBT source, written by the late psychologist Albert Ellis who developed REBT, the following is stated (pages 35-37):

Whenever you feel seriously upset (anxious, depressed, enraged, self-hating, or self-pitying), or are probably behaving against your own basic interest (avoiding what you had better do or addicted to acts that you’d better not do), assume that you are thinking unscientifically. Look for these common ways in which you (and practically all your friends and relatives) deny the rules of science:

UNREALISTIC THINKING THAT DENIES THE FACTS OF LIFE

Examples

“If I am nice to people, they will surely love me and treat me well.”

“If I don’t pass this test, I’ll never get through school and will end up as a bum or a bag lady.”

To this, I’ll add that a self-disturbing belief which follows these unscientific thoughts is, “People must love me and treat me well,” and, “I shouldn’t end up as a bum or a bag lady.” Ellis continues:

ILLOGICAL AND CONTRADICTORY BELIEFS

Examples

“Because I strongly want you to love me, you have to do so.”

“When I fail at a job interview, that proves that I’m hopeless and will never get a good job.”

“People must treat me fairly even when I am unkind and unjust to them.”

In these examples, Ellis uses demandingness (i.e., “you have to do so”) and global evaluation (i.e., “that proves that I’m hopeless”) beliefs which cause self-disturbance. Ellis continues:

UNPROVABLE AND UNFALSIFIABLE BELIEFS

Examples

“Because I have harmed others, I am doomed to roast in hell and suffer for eternity.”

“I am a special person who will always come out on top no matter what I do.”

“I have a magical ability to make people do what I want them to do.”

“Because I strongly feel that you hate me, it is certain that you do.”

Ellis uses a global evaluation (i.e., “I am doomed to roast in hell and suffer”) while also providing examples of overinflated beliefs which are also unscientific (e.g., “I am a special person who will always come out on top”). Ellis continues:

BELIEFS IN DESERVINGNESS OR UNDESERVINGNESS

Examples

“Because I am a good person, I deserve to succeed in life, and fate will make sure that nice things will happen to me.”

“Because I have not done as well as I could, I deserve to suffer and get nowhere in life.”

Bear in mind that under-evaluation or over-evaluation of oneself as anything other than merely a fallible human being is unscientific in nature. Believing that you are a good or bad person isn’t logical and reasonable (collectively “rational”), and can lead to self-disturbance. You are simply an imperfect individual. Ellis continues:

ASSUMPTIONS THAT YOUR STRONG BELIEFS (AND THE FEELINGS THAT GO WITH THEM) WILL BRING GOOD RESULTS AND LEAD TO COMFORT AND HAPPINESS

Examples

“Because you treated me unfairly, as you should not have done, my making myself angry at you will make you treat me better and make me happier.”

“If I thoroughly condemn myself for acting stupidly, that will make me act better in the future.”

Aside from the demandingness belief highlighted by Ellis, neglect of personal responsibility and accountability for one’s own reaction to unpleasant events is referenced in the aforementioned examples. Ellis concludes:

When you have discovered some of your unscientific beliefs with which you are creating emotional problems and making yourself act against your own interests, use the scientific method to challenge and dispute them. Ask yourself:

Is this belief realistic? Is it opposed to the facts of life?

Is this belief logical? Is it contradictory to itself or to my other beliefs?

Can I prove this belief? Can I falsify it?

Does this belief prove that the universe has a law of deservingness or undeservingness?

If I act well, do I completely deserve a good life, and if I act badly, do I totally deserve a bad existence?

If I continue to strongly hold the belief (and to have the feelings and do the acts it often creates), will I perform well, get the results I want to get, and lead a happier life?

Or will holding it tend to make me less happy?

Persist at using the scientific method of questioning and challenging your irrational beliefs until you begin to give them up, increase your effectiveness, and enjoy yourself more.

Admittedly, something I stated earlier in this post contradicts what Ellis advocates. I posit that science neither proves nor disproves ideas while Ellis advocates exploration of proving a belief (i.e., “Can I prove this belief?”).

Using a charitable perspective to Ellis’ stance, I maintain that his immediate follow-up question was, “Can I falsify it?” When disputing, it may be useful to ask if one can prove or falsify a belief. After all, you may very well reveal an underlying unscientific belief in the process.

As an example, suppose that I irrationally believe people mustn’t eat pickled beets. When disputing this assumption, I may ask if I can prove this belief. I cannot. Can my belief then be falsified? Yes.

According to one source, a “theory or hypothesis is falsifiable if it can be logically contradicted by an empirical test.” I can’t prove or disprove my unproductive belief about pickled beets. Yet, if I unfavorably convince myself that I can prove an unprovable belief, I’ve learned something.

My underlying belief is that my belief is right even if the scientific process doesn’t support my conclusion. Thus, when disputing, it may be useful to ask oneself about whether or not a belief can be proven. Perhaps an underlying self-disturbing belief may be uncovered.

Alternatively, beliefs can be falsified. Besides, it simply isn’t true (i.e., it’s false) that people mustn’t eat vegetables which I think are disgusting. Ergo, the scientific method allows me to un-disturb myself regarding beliefs which are false. Ultimately, this is a matter of scientific practice.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, fair use

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