"Warp" <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote in message
news:4bac7025@news.povray.org...

>   I really can't understand why. It's like accurate scientifical testing
which
> is more extensive and more thorough is less convincing than a much smaller
> sample of inaccurate circumstancial evidence.
>
>   Why do so many people think like this? What is the psychological
phenomenon
> behind this kind of thinking?

Proximity, authority, trust. A person may trust in his neighbour's,
coworker's or friend's anectodal evidence much more so than some faceless
professional's findings published on some impersonal journal. We are social
animals, and familiar faces breed trust, which makes sense in most
circumstances. For that matter, you would probably trust me more had I used
the alias "Jason" instead of "somebody".

And then there's the interest... It may be perceived (not wholly
unjustified) that medical professionals have numerous motives and interests,
and your well being may or may not be near the top of the list, while it's
harder to think that your aunt has any ulterior motives when she swears that
it was the herbal tea that cured her cancer.

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