Science as a VaccineThe Relation between Scientific Literacy and Unwarranted Beliefs

In this study, we explore the relation between scientific literacy (knowledge about scientific theories, trust in science, and critical thinking) and unwarranted beliefs (pseudoscience, the paranormal and conspiracy theories). The results show heterogeneous interactions between six constructs: (1) conspiracy theories poorly interact with scientific literacy; (2) there are major differences between attitudinal and practical dimensions of critical thinking; (3) paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs show similar associations (they are predicted by scientific knowledge and trust in science); and (4), only scientific knowledge interacts with other predictor of unwarranted beliefs, such as ontological confusions. These results reveal a limited impact: science educators must take into account the complex interactions between the dimensions of scientific literacy and different types of unwarranted beliefs to improve pedagogical strategies.