The impact of direct challenges to student endorsement of teleological reasoning on understanding and acceptance of natural selection: an exploratory study

Abstract Background Teleological reasoning is a cognitive bias purported to disrupt student ability understand natural selection. Few studies have described pedagogical efforts decrease endorsement of teleological and measure the effects this attenuation on understanding acceptance evolution. This exploratory study examined influence explicit instructional activities directly challenging explanations for evolutionary adaptations their learning selection over semester-long undergraduate course in medicine. In convergent mixed methods design combined pre- post-semester survey data (N = 83) selection, reasoning, evolution, with thematic analysis reflective writing reasoning. Results Student decreased increased during human evolution intervention (p ? 0.0001), compared control course. Endorsement was predictive prior semester. Thematic revealed that students were largely unaware concept own tendency think about purpose-directed way, but perceived by end Conclusions provides initial evidence class challenge unwarranted reduces level an Students high levels upon entrance into course, which consequential because predicter understanding. As result developed anti-teleological pedagogy, had The presented show are receptive challenges associated gains acceptance.