ScienceDaily: Religion News

Power of prayer: Studies find prayer can lead to cooperation, forgiveness in relationships

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:41:41 EDT

Praying for a romantic partner or close friend can lead to more cooperative and forgiving behavior toward the partner, according to a new study.

Social connections drive the 'upward spiral' of positive emotions and health

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:35:35 EDT

People who experience warmer, more upbeat emotions may have better physical health because they make more social connections, according to a new study.

Mindfulness therapy might help veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EDT

A new study shows that veterans with PTSD who completed a mindfulness-based group treatment plan showed a significant reduction in symptoms as compared to patients who underwent treatment as normal.

The bigger the group, the smaller the chance of interracial friendship

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:23:23 EDT

The larger the group, the smaller the chance of forming interracial friendships, a new study shows.

Suicide risk linked to rates of gun ownership, political conservatism

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:40:40 EDT

Residents of states with the highest rates of gun ownership and political conservatism are at greater risk of suicide than those in states with less gun ownership and less politically conservative leanings, according to a new study.

Americans and religion increasingly parting ways

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:04:04 EDT

Religious affiliation in the United States is at its lowest point since it began to be tracked in the 1930s, according to analysis of newly released survey data. Last year, one in five Americans claimed they had no religious preference, more than double the number reported in 1990.

Majority of Albertans support assisted suicide, Canadian study shows

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:07:07 EST

New research gauges public opinion about assisted suicide as part of an ongoing legal, moral and health policy discussion in Canada.

Children of divorced parents more likely to switch, pull away from religions

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:09:09 EST

Adults whose parents were divorced are more likely to switch religions or disassociate themselves from institutional religions altogether -- but growing up in a single-parent family does not have any effect on private religious life, including praying, according to a new study.

Problems with identifying meat? The answer is to check the barcode

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:46:46 EST

Want to know what you are eating? DNA barcodes can be used to identify even very closely related species, finds a new article. Results from the study show that the labelling of game meat in South Africa is very poor with different species being substituted almost 80 percent of the time.

Moments of spirituality can induce liberal attitudes, researchers find

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:15:15 EST

People become more politically liberal immediately after practising a spiritual exercise such as meditation, researchers have found.

Trolls win: Rude blog comments dim allure of science online, experts say

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:40:40 EST

The trolls are winning. Pick a story about some aspect of science, any story, scroll down to the blog comments and let the bashing begin.

Asians are far more likely than Anglos to be college-educated

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:49:49 EST

Asians (about 60 percent) are much more likely to be college-educated than Anglos (under 40 percent), according to the Houston Area Asian Survey.

Morning after pill conscience clauses in UK risk unwarranted pregnancies, pharmacists argue

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:46:46 EST

Conscience clauses, which allow pharmacists to opt out of providing the "morning after pill" without a prescription, risk unwanted pregnancies and undermine the principle of universal healthcare in the UK's National Health Service, say pharmacists.

Homicide-suicides unrelated to social class, Swiss study shows

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:24:24 EST

Homicide-suicides in households occur across all social classes in Switzerland. A new study reveals that life stressors, such as divorce, temporary residency status, or cramped living conditions, are risk factors. The rate at which these offenses are committed, mostly by men with firearms, has been steady over the last twenty years.

Sociologists find similarities in meanings behind protestant work ethic, religious tattoos

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:33:33 EST

The reasoning behind getting religious-themed tattoos is strikingly similar to a 100-year-old theory about how the Protestant work ethic powered the Industrial Revolution.

Psychological common ground could ease tensions among those with different religious beliefs

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 12:10:10 EST

A new study found that thoughts of death increased atheists, Christians, Muslims and agnostics conviction in their own world views. For example, contrary to the wartime aphorism that there are no atheists in foxholes, thoughts of death did not cause atheists to express belief in a deity.

Book underscores Internet’s negative impact on religion

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 12:05:05 EST

Religious groups aren’t capturing the hearts of the millennial generation, and the Internet is partly to blame, says the author on a new book on building strong religious communities.

Study defines when disclosing a whistle-blower's identity, like in an email, becomes retaliation

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:15:15 EST

Under the law, whistle-blowers are supposed to be protected from direct reprisals on the job, including discrimination. But what if they and their actions becomes the subject of a widely distributed email? Is that a form of retaliation? Two professors at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business set out to answer that question and determine when public disclosure of the whistle-blower's identity -- like in an email -- is sufficient to support such a claim, in a paper that has been accepted for publication in North Carolina Law Review.

Generational changes cause drop in U. S. support for school prayer

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 07:30:30 EST

A new study maps a decline in advocacy for school prayer starting in the 1970s and accelerating as skeptical Baby Boomers became ascendant. Support remains markedly lower today among Catholics and mainline Protestants yet unwaveringly high among evangelicals.

Cultural, social factors identified as barriers to minority participation in stem cell donation

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:39:39 EST

New research examining the role of race and ethnicity in an individual's decision to become a donor for hematopoietic cell transplantation identifies several factors associated with varied participation rates in national donor registries across racial/ethnic groups.

Maya expert weighs in on Dec. 21 apocalypse theories

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:31:31 EST

Rusty Barrett, an expert on Mayan culture, weighed in on how the Mayan calendar works, discussed his research with the Mayan population, and shared his observations of the Maya's reactions to the idea that the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012.

Community togetherness plays vital role in coping with tragedies

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:34:34 EST

Community support has remarkable benefits for people coping with traumatic mass shootings, according to an American-Finnish research study.

We are basically honest – except when we are at work, study suggests

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:45:45 EST

A new study has revealed we are more honest than you might think. The research suggests that it pains us to tell lies, particularly when we are in our own homes. It appears that being honest is hugely important to our sense of who we are. However, while it might bother us to tell lies at home, we are less circumspect at work where we are probably more likely to bend the truth, suggests the study.

Increase in negative messages about Muslims in the media, study shows

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:30:30 EST

Organizations using fear and anger to spread negative messages about Muslims have moved from the fringes of public discourse into the mainstream media since the Sept. 11 attacks, according to new research.

Experience of genocide as transmitted trauma may not be universal

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:56:56 EST

A new comparative study finds genocidal legacies are not experienced as trauma across cultures.

Four family cultures of America identified

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:25:25 EST

Four types of family cultures – the Faithful, the Engaged Progressives, the Detached and the American Dreamers – are molding the next generation of Americans, a three-year study finds.

Brain of OCD sufferers is more active when faced with a moral dilemma, study finds

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 07:39:39 EST

Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder are characterised by persistent thoughts and repetitive behaviours. A new study reveals that sufferers worry considerably more than the general population in the face of morality problems.

The evolution of creationism

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:26:26 EST

Throughout history, people have sought to understand how the world came to be and how it has changed over time. This curiosity has produced a rich legacy of science and philosophy and impacted and influenced religion and theology. Researchers have now examined both the history of geology and of biblical views regarding Earth's origins.

Answer three 'why' questions: Abstract thinking can make you more politically moderate

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:19:19 EDT

Partisans beware! Some of your most cherished political attitudes may be malleable! Researchers report that simply answering three "why" questions on an innocuous topic leads people to be more moderate in their views on an otherwise polarizing political issue.

Church-going teens go further with school, U.S. study finds

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 17:19:19 EDT

A national U.S. study found religiously-affiliated youth are 40 percent more likely to graduate high school than their unaffiliated peers and 70 percent more likely to enroll in college.

Mandatory flu vaccine for health care workers to protect patients

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:35:35 EDT

All health care workers in health care institutions should be vaccinated with the annual influenza vaccine to protect patients, argues an editorial.

Conscience legislation ignores medical providers committed to giving patients all necessary care

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:50:50 EDT

Advances in medicine allow doctors to keep patients alive longer, tackle fertility problems and extend the viability of premature babies. They also lead to a growing number of moral questions for both the medical provider and patient.

Ghost busting: Study examines influence of media messages on perceptions of paranormal investigators' credibility

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:16:16 EDT

Media messages describing paranormal investigators as "scientific" makes people more likely to "believe."

The Generation X report: How many Gen Xers know their cosmic address?

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:10:10 EDT

Less than half of Generation X adults can identify our home in the universe, a spiral galaxy, according to a new report.

Religious affiliation and residence in Muslim-majority nations influence sexual behavior, study finds

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:13:13 EDT

Hindus and Muslims are less likely than Christians and Jews to have premarital sex, and Muslims are the least likely among people of these religious groups to have extramarital sex, according to a new study that analyzed data on premarital and extramarital sexual behaviors in over 30 developing countries around the world.

Gut reaction: Morality in food choice

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 09:17:17 EDT

Researchers are examining the ethical aspects of food production and consumption. They are helping consumers navigate the maze of moral choices involved in filling their plates and bellies. And they are finding that being morally mindful can lead to better nutrition, as well.

Spirituality key to Chinese medicine success: Study explores why Chinese medicine has stood the test of time

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:25:25 EDT

Are the longevity and vitality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to its holistic approach? Indeed, Chinese medicine is not simply about treating illness, but rather about taking care of the whole person -- body, mind, and spirit. According to an analysis of TCM's origins and development, traditional Chinese medicine is profoundly influenced by Chinese philosophy and religion. To date, modern science has been unable to explain the mechanisms behind TCM's effects.

The more we know about celebrities, the less we like them

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:13:13 EDT

Clint Eastwood's famous interview with an invisible President Obama seated in an empty chair at the Republican National Convention may have done more than elicit a round of late-night television jokes. Celebrities who publicly support political candidates may want to think twice about doing so, according to a researcher who has found that those who are most vocal about political, religious, and social causes may pay with decreased popularity and a hit to their wallets.

People merge supernatural and scientific beliefs when reasoning with the unknown, study shows

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:53:53 EDT

A new psychology study finds adults are more likely than children to find supernatural explanations for existential questions.

God as a drug: The rise of American megachurches

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:35:35 EDT

American megachurches use stagecraft, sensory pageantry, charismatic leadership and an upbeat, unchallenging vision of Christianity to provide their congregants with a powerful emotional religious experience, according to new research.

Interest in arts predicts social responsibility

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:18:18 EDT

If you sing, dance, draw, or act -- and especially if you watch others do so -- you probably have an altruistic streak, according to a new study.

New book explores 'Noah's flood': Says Bible and science can get along

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:51:51 EDT

A geologist, is the author of a new book that explores the long history of religious thinking on matters of geological discovery, particularly flood stories such as the biblical account of Noah's ark.

Dead men do tell tales: Sociologist used 100 years of obituaries as cultural barometer

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 12:10:10 EDT

You know you're living in a culture of celebrity when the Twitter for the president of the United States ranks No. 6, trailing behind rock stars Justin Bieber and Katy Perry by millions of followers. But have celebrities always trumped achievers for public attention? A sociologist has used 100 years of New York Times obituaries as a cultural barometer.

Deeply held religious beliefs prompting sick kids to be given 'futile' treatment

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:30:30 EDT

Parental hopes of a "miraculous intervention," prompted by deeply held religious beliefs, are leading to very sick children being subjected to futile care and needless suffering, suggests a small study.

Medieval clerics resisted celibacy, historians say

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 08:51:51 EDT

Medieval clerics did not relish the prospect of giving up sex when the Papacy tried to introduce the principle of celibacy. Resistance was widespread, it was revealed at an academic conference where two historians are playing a key role in developing the burgeoning study area of medieval masculinity.

A new Amish community is founded every three-and-a-half weeks in US, experts estimate

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:15:15 EDT

A new census of the Amish population in the United States estimates that a new Amish community is founded, on average, about every 3.5 weeks, and shows that more than 60 percent of all existing Amish settlements have been founded since 1990.

What motivates generosity? Researchers study Muslims and Catholics

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:32:32 EDT

Generosity is accepted and encouraged as a practice, but the reasons behind the behavior are not well understood. Researchers are exploring what motivates people to be generous and how religion influences their actions.

Belief in hell, according to international data, is associated with reduced crime

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:32:32 EDT

Religions are thought to serve as bulwarks against unethical behaviors. However, when it comes to predicting criminal behavior, the specific religious beliefs one holds is the determining factor, says a psychologist.

Religion is a potent force for cooperation and conflict, research shows

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:36:36 EDT

Across history and cultures, religion increases trust within groups but also may increase conflict with other groups, according to a new analysis.

Clergy can fight HIV on faith-friendly terms

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:42:42 EDT

In the United States, where blacks bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, black religious institutions could help turn the tide. In a new study based on dozens of interviews and focus groups with 38 of Philadelphia's most influential black religious leaders, physicians and public health researchers find that traditional barriers to preaching about HIV prevention could give way to faith-friendly messages about getting tested and staying on treatment.

Female terrorists' bios belie stereotypes, study finds

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:39:39 EDT

Much like their male counterparts, female terrorists are likely to be educated, employed and native residents of the country where they commit a terrorist act, according to new research.

Slaughtering animals without prior stunning should be curbed, if not banned, professor urges

Sat, 05 May 2012 13:09:09 EDT

The slaughter of animals for commercial meat supply without stunning them first should at the very least be curbed, if not banned, concludes a former president of the British Veterinary Association in an opinion piece in this week's Veterinary Record.

Highly religious people are less motivated by compassion than are non-believers

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EDT

"Love thy neighbor" is preached from many a pulpit. But new research suggests that the highly religious are less motivated by compassion when helping a stranger than are atheists, agnostics and less religious people.

Analytic thinking can decrease religious belief, study shows

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:38:38 EDT

A new study finds that analytic thinking can decrease religious belief, even in devout believers. The study finds that thinking analytically increases disbelief among believers and skeptics alike, shedding important new light on the psychology of religious belief.

How thinking about death can lead to a good life

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:25:25 EDT

Thinking about death can actually be a good thing. An awareness of mortality can improve physical health and help us re-prioritize our goals and values, according to a new analysis of recent scientific studies. Even non-conscious thinking about death -- say walking by a cemetery -- could prompt positive changes and promote helping others.

Reminders of secular authority reduce believers' distrust of atheists

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:23:23 EDT

What's the group that least agrees with Americans' vision of their country? According to many sociological surveys, it's atheists. Previous research suggests that the dislike of atheists mostly comes from distrust, driven by the belief that people act better when they feel like they're being watched by God. But new research shows that reminding people of various sources of secular authority -- like government -- may have the same effect.

Eagle Scouts have positive, lasting influence on American society, study suggests

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:59:59 EDT

One hundred years after the first Eagle Scout Award was presented, new research has found the significant, positive impact Eagle Scouts have on society, from leadership to giving, voting to volunteering, protecting the environment and being prepared for emergencies.

Narcissism impairs ethical judgment even among the highly religious, study finds

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:02:02 EDT

Although high levels of narcissism can impair ethical judgment regardless of one's religious orientation or orthodox beliefs, narcissism is more harmful in those who might be expected to be more ethical, according to a new study.

Beliefs about genes, God, can change health communication strategies

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:41:41 EDT

Beliefs about nature and nurture can affect how patients and their families respond to news about their diagnosis, according to health communication researchers.

Video games depict religion as violent, problematized, study shows

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST

Many newer-generation video games equate religion with violence in the game narratives, new research shows.