Kolloquium with Natalia Zarzeczna
The Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID) cordially invites you to attend our next colloquium in our lecture series. On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00. Our guest is Dr. Natalia Zarzeczna, University of Essex, UK. Her talk will be titled "Meaning processes explain current science rejection".
The colloquium will be held in English at the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID) at the University Trier (Building D, Room D 141, Universitätsring 15, 54296, Trier) and also online. If you want to attend the colloquium online, please email us at madr@leibniz-psychology.org and we will send you the link to the online event. You don’t need to register to attend in person.
Abstract
Unwarranted rejection of sound empirical evidence or scientific method is not a new phenomenon. Yet, the current rapid surge of antiscience voices across political and public discourses puts present and future scientific progress at significant risk. In this talk, I will discuss the psychological factors contributing to current antiscience sentiment, highlighting the importance of ideologies over science literacy or analytical skills as key drivers. Integrating these findings with insights from existential psychology, I will outline a theoretical framework postulating that current science rejection is largely driven by a fundamental human need for meaning. When science misaligns with a coherent understanding of reality, it is rejected in favour of ideologies that satisfy the need for meaning regardless of their epistemic validity. I will then discuss implications of this framework for designing effective interventions against science rejection.