Posted on 10/03/2008 2:19:40 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Believing in God makes people nicer, a major study has concluded.
After analysing three decades of research, scientists say religion encourages individuals to be more helpful, honest and generous.
But believers acting for the greater good may be doing so to enhance their own reputation among friends and acquaintances, according to the review published today in the journal Science.
Dr Ara Norenzayan, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia, Canada, said the debate over whether religion improves behaviour has too often been driven by opinion and anecdote. 'We wanted to look at the hard scientific evidence,' he said.
Published research into the links between religion and 'pro-social' behaviour showed that religious and spiritual thoughts reduced rates of cheating in games and increased trust between strangers.
Repeated studies have shown that those who frequently pray and attend religious services report more charitable donations and volunteer work, they said.
Religious people are more likely to take part in volunteer work, according to researchers
Some experts have questioned whether religious thoughts make you behave better - or whether nicer people are more likely to be religious in the first place. But the evidence suggests that fear of an all-powerful presence encourages good behaviour.
In one experiment, volunteers who had been told that a dead student's ghost had been seen in the experiment room cheated less on a test than those who had not.
Children told a fictional character called Princess Alice was watching them were less likely to disobey their instructions.
Other experiments showed that good behaviour is more likely when religious thoughts are fresh in the mind - or when such behaviour boosts someone's reputation.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Well, everybody has their down and crabby days, though the two don’t always mix. No matter who they are. Sometimes you just want to be alone for a few hours. Driving, playing guitar, watching TV, shooting, whatever.
Maybe Bill Maher can make a movie on this.
Well, duh! The researchers musta met my parents, and my neighbor, hayna? Or no?
In one experiment, volunteers who had been told that a dead student's ghost had been seen in the experiment room cheated less on a test than those who had not.
Children told a fictional character called Princess Alice was watching them were less likely to disobey their instructions.
Other experiments showed that good behaviour is more likely when religious thoughts are fresh in the mind - or when such behaviour boosts someone's reputation.
This is garbage.
What do they mean, fictional???
So are Hindus.
I don’t think much thought or research went into this.
Does this mean that the left are not good people?
> Muslims are religious people
Beat me to it.
It depends on the “religion”.
The story says that the researchers analyzed three decades of research. Not that they actually did any research of their own.
So it leaves me to wonder - what was their criteria for selecting “research studies”?
While I tend to agree that people of faith that I personally have made contact with (Christians), tend to be more giving and kind, this particular research is fundamentally flawed.
I do not expect my comment to be posted, because it questions the study, pointing out the inherent violence of Islam.
Impossible, we are the root of all evil according to leftists.
These ‘scientist’ ain’t been to church in a long, long while, if ever.
btt
“Muslims are religious people”
Being pathetically ignorant of the subject, these scientists were unequipped to deal even with major factors such as the differences among religions.
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