Does God exist or not ? That doubt may never be answered to everyone ’s satisfaction — but the question of why people become spiritual might be . scientist found a way to meddle with the level of analytical sentiment people used , and in turn were capable to work the strength of people ’s religious opinion .
Top image : CowGummy on Flickr .
Most the great unwashed believe in God or some variety of the supernatural , but there are hundreds of millions of atheists and doubter worldwide . experimentation have only recently start exploring the specific underpinnings of spiritual belief , said investigator Ara Norenzayan , a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver .
“ When I became a prof about 10 years ago , I was surprised by how little data-based psychology had to say about organized religion – I grew up in Lebanon during the war , and I sympathise that faith was really important in people ’s lives , ” Norenzayan read in an interview .
An older theme in psychological science suggests human thinking is separate between intuitive and analytical thinking . The former leads to fast - and - dirty answers via mental shortcuts and gut impression ; the latter involve more deliberate , effortful thinking . Since intuitive thinking appear to patronise belief in the supernatural , psychologists argue that analytical thinking might be one source of religious disbelief – indeed , questionnaire approximate analytical thinking and spiritual belief find that the great unwashed who were more likely to adopt an analytic posture be given to describe they were less spiritual .
In four experiments with more than 650 voluntary in the U.S. and Canada , Norenzayan and his confrere Will Gervais then incur a issue of subtle ways to influence volunteers into thinking more analytically to see how it affected religious belief . This could only involve look at a picture of someone who looks like they are thinking intemperately about something , like Auguste Rodin ’s carving The Thinker , or seem at words such as “ suppose , ” “ ruminate ” or “ rational . ” Even reading words in unmanageable - to - read fonts touch off analytic thinking .
The experiments revealed that volunteers stab into thinking analytically increased unbelief among believer and skeptics likewise , compare with hoi polloi who did not invite the same cue . “ It ’s a moderate - sized force – not trivial , ” says Norenzayan .
The scientists expected plenty of misconception and public chemical reaction over their research . “ I ’m bracing for a fate of hate post , ” Norenzayan says .
They emphasized this work does not suggest that either analytical thinking or intuitive thinking is innately superior , because they encourage either religious skepticism or impression . “ All human beings have both scheme of intellection – they both have cost and benefits in any given situation , ” Norenzayan differentiate io9 .
They also stressed that believers were capable of analytical thinking , and skeptics intuitive thinking . “ theologizer reason over spiritual beliefs all the time , ” Norenzayan adds .
at last , they note that analytical and visceral thinking are just one piece of the puzzle of why people may favor religious belief or disbelief . “ For example , we know very piffling about how religiousism is mold by cultural factors , although there ’s clear evidence it is , ” Norenzayan says .
Future inquiry will explore whether the increment in religious disbelief is temporary or long - lasting , and how the finding apply to non - Western cultures . Gervais and Norenzayan detailed their findings in the April 27 issue of the journal Science .
Image reference : reference : Ryan DeBerardinis / Shutterstock .
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