Americans who go to church and trust science are also more likely to believe in ghosts and curses, new research shows

Belief in science and belief in magic can coexist.

By: Ruiqian Li, American University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 15, 2026

Words: 933

Last Updated: 1 day, 16 hours ago

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By Ruiqian Li, American University

Americans who trust science and reason more than their churches’ teachings, but still believe in God or attend services, are also more likely to believe in magic than those who prioritize religious teachings.

This was the central finding of a study my co-authors and I published in the journal Social Forces in July 2026. We analyzed the latest wave of the Baylor Religion Survey, a nationally representative survey …

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