Why Religion Is Natural and Science Is Not

Behavioral Economics

How Psychology Provoked a Revolution in Economics

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on April 15, 2024

Psychological experiments on human judgment under uncertainty showed that people often stray from presumptions about rational economic agents.

Psychological experiments on human judgment under uncertainty showed that people often stray from presumptions about rational economic agents.

Religion

Were Neanderthals Religious?

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on January 29, 2024

Recent archaeological discoveries suggest that Neanderthals had far richer symbolic lives than earlier researchers had imagined—and might even have had religious proclivities.

Recent archaeological discoveries suggest that Neanderthals had far richer symbolic lives than earlier researchers had imagined—and might even have had religious proclivities.

Religion

Why Religions Seem to Involve Outlandish Beliefs

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on November 7, 2023

Distinguishing between "mundane" and "groupish" beliefs clarifies myriad confusions surrounding the puzzle of religious rationality.

Distinguishing between "mundane" and "groupish" beliefs clarifies myriad confusions surrounding the puzzle of religious rationality.

Cognition

Learning to Read Rewires Brains

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on August 14, 2023

Acquiring the ability to read changes how and where your brain processes faces.

Acquiring the ability to read changes how and where your brain processes faces.

Anxiety

The Psychological Potency of Ritualized Behaviors

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on May 20, 2023

People intuitively judge that ritualized behaviors are causally effective, even without supporting evidence.

People intuitively judge that ritualized behaviors are causally effective, even without supporting evidence.

Religion

Are Religious Developments Predictable?

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on February 28, 2023

Research in the cognitive science of religions suggests that many features of religious forms and religious experiences exhibit regular patterns.

Research in the cognitive science of religions suggests that many features of religious forms and religious experiences exhibit regular patterns.

Spirituality

When People Cannot Understand the Words of the Gods

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on December 2, 2022

Many American Catholics find the Latin Mass, which proceeds with utterances that they do not understand, more reverential than a Mass in the vernacular.

Many American Catholics find the Latin Mass, which proceeds with utterances that they do not understand, more reverential than a Mass in the vernacular.

Attention

How to Make Inflation Invisible

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on September 6, 2022

Because of insufficient attention to ways of hiding inflation, it may have been more pronounced over the past few decades than typically presumed.

Because of insufficient attention to ways of hiding inflation, it may have been more pronounced over the past few decades than typically presumed.

Cognition

The Need for 6E Cognitive Science

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on June 27, 2022

Attention to the emotional and evolved character of cognition will enrich accounts of the mind.

Attention to the emotional and evolved character of cognition will enrich accounts of the mind.

Religion

A Link Between Religion and Education Among Working-Class Men

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on April 2, 2022

Involvement in a local religious community provides the social support that many working-class men lack.

Involvement in a local religious community provides the social support that many working-class men lack.

Frameworks from traditional religious studies and from the cognitive science of religions provide complementary accounts of the attractions of the Marvel superhero movies.

Relationships

Parasocial Relationships with the Gods

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on October 19, 2021

What television personalities, social influencers, and the gods have in common.

What television personalities, social influencers, and the gods have in common.

Loneliness

Smartphones, Social Media, and Adolescent Loneliness

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on August 3, 2021

What are the most prominent factors involved in a worldwide increase in loneliness among adolescents over the last decade?

What are the most prominent factors involved in a worldwide increase in loneliness among adolescents over the last decade?

Copying social conventions generates more faithful imitation than copying the causally relevant aspects of experts' skills.

Health

Mask-Wearing as a Cognitive Cue

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on March 3, 2021

The vaccinated should continue to comply with public health measures for a reason beyond concerns about infectiousness and social solidarity.

The vaccinated should continue to comply with public health measures for a reason beyond concerns about infectiousness and social solidarity.

Big 5 Personality Traits

The Not-Quite-So-Big Big 5

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on December 24, 2020

The applicability of the Big 5 personality dimensions may be limited to WEIRD societies.

The applicability of the Big 5 personality dimensions may be limited to WEIRD societies.

Psychology

The Weirdest Minds in the World

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on September 27, 2020

A new book aims to explain the many cognitive oddities of people who live in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (i.e., WEIRD) societies.

A new book aims to explain the many cognitive oddities of people who live in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (i.e., WEIRD) societies.

Religion

Will There Be a Resurgence of Religiosity in America?

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on July 6, 2020

An increasing number of Americans have come to reject religious affiliation in recent years, but the current series of national and global crises may reverse that trend.

An increasing number of Americans have come to reject religious affiliation in recent years, but the current series of national and global crises may reverse that trend.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

Cognition and Contagion

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on April 12, 2020

With much of the world in quarantine, some are pushing for a rapid end to restrictions. But common sense and intuition are not enough in this pandemic.

With much of the world in quarantine, some are pushing for a rapid end to restrictions. But common sense and intuition are not enough in this pandemic.

Environment

Science and a Free Society

Robert N. McCauley Ph.D. on February 1, 2020

The current American administration has restricted appeals to scientific evidence in many government agencies, threatening not just sound policy-making but freedom itself.

The current American administration has restricted appeals to scientific evidence in many government agencies, threatening not just sound policy-making but freedom itself.