Story perspectives

Analytical Thinking Boost Fails to Alter Student Religiosity

5/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers Luz Acera Martini and Esteban Freidin found that boosting analytical thinking did not change students' religiosity.
In a study of 455 students, only a debiasing task raised Cognitive Reflection Test scores, while a scrambled-sentence task had no effect.
In a second study with 938 students, the debiasing task produced no measurable difference in religiosity versus controls.
The researchers called for studies on younger groups and stressed publishing null results.

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Story summary

Researchers Luz Acera Martini and Esteban Freidin found that boosting analytical thinking did not change students' religiosity.
In a study of 455 students, only a debiasing task raised Cognitive Reflection Test scores, while a scrambled-sentence task had no effect.
In a second study with 938 students, the debiasing task produced no measurable difference in religiosity versus controls.
The researchers called for studies on younger groups and stressed publishing null results.