Apocalyptic thinking is common (and it probably shapes how we face the challenges of the 21st century)
One in four Americans believe the world will end in their lifetime. End of world beliefs are not just common amongst contemporary Americans, but are found all around the world and throughout history.
Why do humans believe in the apocalypse? What do these beliefs do to us and to our societies?Â
Religious and non-religious end of world beliefs shape responses to five existential global risks.
Billet, M. I., White, C. J. M., Shariff, A., & Norenzayan, A. (in press). End of world beliefs are common, diverse, and predict how people perceive and respond to global risks. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Preprint available: osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/hq59n