Alcock also said that beliefs that reduce concern are more readily accepted. Religion offers the comforting belief that departed loved ones will be met again in heaven. We often hold beliefs that have no rationale. Hunches are not necessarily processed rationally, he noted. Sales dropped, and the billboards reappeared.
Behavioral change precedes attitude change.
If you get people to act contrary to their beliefs, they will shift beliefs over time. Beyerstein discussed how the human brain evolved, and how technology, just in the last 100 years, has confounded our programming, thus leading to human errors. Electric lights have lengthened our awake cycle. Jets that cross time zones in a day play havoc with the natural rhythms acquired through evolution. Some effects are sleep disorders, gastrointestinal problems, and decreased vigilance.