Imagine there’s no religion
Imagine there’s no heaven.It’s easy if you try. -John Lennon Actually, it’s not that easy to picture a world without people believing in heaven and […]
religion
Reflecting on the Scientific Study of Religion After Nearly a Decade of Religion, Brain & Behavior
A decade ago, Religion, Brain & Behavior (RBB) was still a dream in the minds of its founding editors, neuroscientist Patrick McNamara, anthropologist Richard Sosis, […]
Religion affects our behavior by shaping neural rewards
If I were to offer you $50 today or the chance to wait four months for $70, which would you take? The way you answer […]
Thinking analytically, accepting evolution
It sometimes seems like evolution and religion have had a bad relationship almost from the start. In 1874, the Princeton theologian Charles Hodge asked, “What […]
Psychologists write about “bullshit”
Anyone who’s been to the West Coast or visited hippie towns like Covington, VT or Asheville, NC has undoubtedly heard some version of the New […]
Ominous moods may improve ritual performance
To the uninitiated, religious ritual seems like frivolous play-acting. Priests and acolytes follow obscure rules and manipulate symbolic objects, similar to team sports like soccer, […]
Empty nests and empty pews: Church affiliation declines after high school
Step into any church on Sunday morning and you’ll most likely find a congregation split into two distinct groups: parents with their children and cotton-topped […]
God’s forgiveness makes you okay with your peccadillos
The anterior cingulate cortex, or ACC, is tucked deep within the brain behind the frontal lobe, and its job is to make sure that reality […]
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 […]
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 […]