Religion on the Mind Cognitive Distortions & Religion, Pt 2: Jumping to Conclusions (#363)
Nov 24, 2025
Molly LaCroix, a clinician and therapy expert, returns to discuss the pervasive cognitive distortion of jumping to conclusions. She shares a personal story highlighting this error in relationships and therapy. The conversation navigates the balance between taking leaps of faith and making unfounded assumptions, drawing from various religious perspectives. They emphasize the need for slowing down and seeking full information as an antidote to hasty judgments. Ultimately, they advocate for empathy and curiosity in both spiritual and therapeutic contexts.
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Guest Assumed She Was Rejected
- Molly thought she hadn't made the cut for the series after not hearing back from Dan.
- Dan later emailed asking her to appear, illustrating how easily we fill communication gaps with negative stories.
Look For Evidence Before Believing
- Jumping to conclusions happens when we form beliefs without sufficient evidence.
- Intentionally look for evidence for or against that belief before acting on it.
Fast Thinking Fuels Quick Conclusions
- Much of our thinking runs automatically via fast System 1 processes that create convincing quick conclusions.
- Slowing down activates deliberative System 2 and reduces automatic jumps to conclusions.
