Accepting mortality: How religious beliefs relieve death anxiety
One of Benjamin Franklin’s most memorable – and most true – lines is “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death […]
With God as your shepherd, you take more risks
Religious people aren’t risk-takers. Study after study has shown that if someone’s reminded about God or if someone’s more intrinsically religious, then they’re less likely […]
The varieties of religious conversion
Conversion is a life changer. Converts can gain new social groups and family ties, different symbols and narratives that give life meaning, and new and […]
Religion Can Make You Prosocial, Depending On Your Genes
One of religion’s most important effects is that it fosters community. There’s a lot of ways it does this. It teach people how to get […]
A farewell and reflection on the scientific study of religion
After five years of working for Science on Religion, my time here is at an end. Over these five years, I have reported on a […]
Religious conservatives more scrupulous than religious liberals (no, that’s not a good thing)
The differences between liberal and conservative extend well beyond the political realm to the religious realm. As seen in the political realm, one of the […]
Knowledge confusion predicts belief in the religious and paranormal
Researchers have often puzzled over why people believe in the religious and paranormal. Neither of these beliefs has scientific evidence yet the vast majority of […]
Paranormal thought priming can influence the interpretation of events
The desire for the magical and supernatural seems deeply ingrained in the human psyche. As seen in the great fantasy worlds such as Star Wars […]
Does religion actually encourage generosity?
A variety of previous studies have looked favorably upon religion, concluding that religion correlates with generosity, responsibility, charity, and a host of other virtues. Given […]
Review: Rethinking Religion
In this groundbreaking book, E. Thomas Lawson and Robert N. McCauley proclaim the birth of the field of cognitive science of religion by presenting a […]