Posted on 11/26/2009 6:05:38 AM PST by Schnucki
Rivals on the dating scene could make one feel closer to God, according to new research that suggests one's religiousness may be more closely related to mating strategies than previously known.
In experiments with 269 college students, researchers found that both men and women apparently felt more religious when they saw attractive potential competitors.
Social psychologists had volunteers view dating profiles of either attractive men or women and told them these were fellow students participating at an online dating site. They were then asked to rate, on a 10-point scale, the extent to which they agreed with statements like, "I believe in God," "We'd be better off if religion played a bigger role in people's lives," and "Religious beliefs are important to me in my everyday decisions."
The volunteers appeared more religious when exposed to attractive members of their own sex.
"While we don't doubt there are many reasons people are religious, our current findings suggest that people do vary in religiosity depending on the perceived mating market," said researcher Yexin Jessica Li at Arizona State University in Tempe.
What's Going On
The findings, detailed online Nov. 1 in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, suggest that people may adjust their religious feelings to support their current romantic goals.
Past research had suggested that information about the local dating pool can influence one's behavior — exposure to attractive members of one's own sex can reduce one's feelings about one's own attractiveness.
"It's our belief that religious behavior is linked to several different psychological mechanisms, but one plausible function of religious sanctions on sexuality is to maintain and defend a low-promiscuity, monogamous lifestyle," said researcher Douglas Kenrick at Arizona State University. "For that lifestyle, an abundance of attractive competitors is a threat."
"Our guess at this point is that seeing attractive
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Yes after seeing the competitors, the participants realize that:
1) they do not have a PRAYER of a chance. or
2) miracles are their only hope.
Now, that’s someone who would make me feel closer to God.
Why do they focus on religion? Guys will often change their "feelings" on ballet, cats, knitting, yogurt, organic food, etc. when trying to hook a hot one.
Just another hit on religion.
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