Currently I am at the University of Amsterdam, where I work on different research projects that focus largely on the psychology of belief systems and worldviews, either religious or secular. Broadly, I am interested in the psychological functions of such belief systems and I focus in particular on belief in science. My current research interests can be summarized into three interrelated research themes and questions:
- How do people cope with threats to perceptions of order and predictability, control, and meaning? I am interested in how science and religion aid people’s search for order, control, and meaning in the world.
- Do optimal levels of order and control exist? For example, what are the psychological consequences of experiencing too much order, and does such a state lead to a temporarily heightened preference for disorder?
- How do people perceive representatives of the aforementioned belief systems and worldviews? For example, what are common attitudes and stereotypes about science and religion, and about scientists and believers?
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