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

By Ruiqian Li, Research Assistant Professor at the School of Public Affairs, American University, The Conversation · October 15, 2026

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…

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