# Americans Trust Science But Still Believe in Ghosts

> Americans who trust science but attend church are more likely to believe in ghosts and curses.
- Title: Americans Trust Science But Still Believe in Ghosts | Shortify
- Summary: Americans who trust science but attend church are more likely to believe in ghosts and curses. Americans who trust science and attend church are twice as…
- Keywords: americans, science, church, ghosts, curses, secular, miracles, baylor, religion, survey, ideas, Trust
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/americans-who-go-to-church-and-trust-science-are-also-more-likely-to-believe-in-ghosts-and-curses-new-research-shows-291833
- Author: Ruiqian Li
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: americans, science, church, ghosts, curses, secular, miracles, baylor, religion, survey, ideas
## New Research Finds
Americans who trust science and attend church are more likely to believe in ghosts and curses.
## Study Published in 2026
My co-authors and I published research in the journal Social Forces in July 2026.
## Baylor Religion Survey
The survey measured 1,812 American adults in early 2025.
## Secular Rationalism
Secular rationalism means trusting science over religious teachings for understanding the world.
## Belief in Magic
People who trust science but believe in God are twice as likely to believe in ghosts and curses.
## Key Findings
Among Americans who believe in God, 40% believe in magic versus 19% who reject secular rationalism.
## What Matters Next
Researchers need to track the same people over time to see if they drift away from religion.
## Key takeaway

Americans who trust science and attend church are twice as likely to believe in ghosts and curses compared to those who reject secular rationalism.