Summary
Overview
Professor Ryan McKay, a psychology professor at Royal Holloway University of London, discusses the nature of human beliefs, their emotional underpinnings, and why changing our minds is so difficult. The conversation explores how beliefs are shaped by social contexts, the difference between clinical delusions and everyday beliefs, cognitive biases that affect our thinking, and practical strategies for helping people update their beliefs without causing emotional distress.
Ryan McKay's Journey to Studying Belief
Ryan McKay traces his fascination with belief systems back to his semi-religious upbringing, where he struggled to accept what he was taught at church. This early experience sparked a lifelong interest in understanding why people hold beliefs that seemed irrational to him. His journey took him from militant atheism to a nuanced appreciation of the emotional underpinnings of both religious and atheistic beliefs, eventually leading to a PhD studying delusional beliefs under Australian psychologist Max Coulthart.
- McKay was raised in a semi-religious household and attended church but couldn't accept the teachings
- His early struggles with religious belief fed into a fascination with understanding why people hold beliefs that don't make sense to others
- He became a militant atheist for a while but eventually developed interest in the emotional underbellies of all beliefs
- His PhD focused on understanding what role emotional factors play in delusion formation, studying cases like Capgras delusion
" I never could really get on board with some of what I was taught there. So I think from that point there was a sort of fascination with belief systems and with trying to understand why people held beliefs that maybe didn't make sense to me. "
Understanding Delusions: Clinical vs Everyday Beliefs
McKay distinguishes between clinical delusions like Capgras delusion (believing a loved one has been replaced by an imposter) and everyday strongly-held beliefs. He argues that what makes clinical delusions truly problematic is not just their lack of evidence, but their isolating nature—being out of step with your community's beliefs. This contrasts with religious or political beliefs, which may be poorly evidenced but are socially scaffolded and provide community support.
- Clinical delusions are defined as firmly held beliefs sustained in the face of contrary evidence
- Examples include Capgras delusion (spouse replaced by imposter) and Cotard delusion (believing you have died)
- McKay disagrees with calling religious beliefs delusions because they're socially scaffolded and community-supported
- What makes delusions problematic is being out of step with your community, causing isolation and distress
" I tend to think of them more as being out of step with the beliefs of the community around you. So that's what makes a delusion really kind of problematic and distressing is that you're out of step. You're kind of isolated. Your belief is idiosyncratic. You're sort of stranded. "
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