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 […]
religion
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 […]
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 […]
Belief in free will correlates with conservatism
In recent years, the “free will versus determinism” debate has gained great popularity among both philosophers and non-philosophers alike. People want to know, or at […]
Believers in religion and the paranormal prone to facial illusions
Humans have an unusual capacity for detecting faces where none exist. Looking at the clouds or a tree or even a rock can lead someone […]
Working towards a Chinese psychology of religion
Psychology of religion has become a fairly common and well-respected field of study, with a rich history featuring geniuses such as William James and Sigmund […]
Review: Atheist Delusions
Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies has a most unfortunate title, and one not of the author’s making (the subtitle is Hart’s […]
Religion and income inequality
Recent research has shown a correlation at the national level between high levels of religiosity and income inequality. That is, countries with high religiosity also have […]
The personality types of Christians and atheists
Ask any parent: some people are just born a certain way. From their first few months and especially in their teenage years, people’s personalities have […]