Thoughtfulness is a state of thinking carefully about something, such as when trying to understand some complexity, solve a difficult problem, or take effective action.
Beliefs may be factual or symbolic*:
Factual beliefs are for modeling reality and guiding behavior. Factual beliefs respond to evidence. Factual beliefs are involuntary. We simply believe something is the case; we don’t choose to believe or adopt a factual belief. Believing a bridge is sturdy is an example of a factual belief; otherwise, one wouldn’t drive over it. Changing one’s mind about another person’s honesty after catching them in a lie is an example of a factual belief responding to evidence.
Symbolic beliefs serve social ends; they may feel genuine but are “cordoned off from action and expectation”. Symbolic beliefs are often willed or adopted. They typically function as badges of identity or group membership, with little regard for consistency. Think cheap talk, social media chatter, and fist-raised proclamations. Maintaining vaccines are dangerous but getting vaccinated anyway would be an example. Believing in God’s will but looking both ways before crossing the street is another.
Surveys often ask about people’s beliefs. But what are the respondents giving them - factual or symbolic beliefs? I’m thinking survey questions that touch a partisan or moral nerve are more likely to elicit symbolic beliefs, e.g., about climate change, crime, homelessness, the poor, taxes, race, gender identity, etc. Likewise, broadly-worded questions and response options are probably more likely to elicit symbolic beliefs, because they force the respondents to think in generalities, which are less amenable to evidence-based scrutiny.
What type of surveys questions would elicit factual beliefs? Perhaps surveys that encourage thoughtful responses, because thoughtfulness is a state of mind that cares about getting it right. Examples include surveys that provide detailed scenarios and then ask respondents what they would do in such a situation or what policy they’d support to deal with it. Also, surveys that use open-ended questions may be more likely to elicit thoughtful responses, especially if the interviewer encourages respondents to elaborate on their previous responses. And thoughtful responses, especially to “what-to-do” questions, pretty much always require consideration of the relevant facts.
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* Anthropologist and philosopher Dan Sperber came up with the division of beliefs as factual and symbolic. My discussion of factual and symbolic beliefs borrows heavily from Manvir Singh’s Don’t Believe What They’re Telling You About Misinformation (New Yorker, April 15, 2024) – highly recommended reading.