Why people believe is a question that has plagued great thinkers for many centuries. This document is subject to copyright. These cognitive adaptations are facilitated by educational and household norms which don’t tend to dispute religious ideas. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Another key adaptation that may help religious belief derives from our ability to anthropomorphise objects. The development context of these countries put their people in a unique position, experiencing more phenomena at once. In doing so we inevitably have stronger attachments to some individuals more than others. Your opinions are important to us. For extroverts, religion offers festivals and teaches that God blesses fellowship. May include attending church or other worship events and The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. Each tomb in Waihola village (near Nihiwatu) represents massive expense in terms of ritual sacrifices for local families who observe the ancestral Marapu religion. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy Researchers who study the psychology and neuroscience of religion are helping to explain why such beliefs are so enduring. It is easy to see that these strong attachments could transfer to religious deities and their messengers. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality ® publishes peer-reviewed, original articles related to the psychological aspects of religion and spirituality.. This ability – known as cognitive decoupling – originates in childhood through pretend play. The psychology of religion as a movement within psychology began almost as soon as psychology expanded from German universities to American universities. Your feedback will go directly to Science X editors. Reiss then developed a questionnaire, called the Reiss Motivation Profile, that measures how much people value each of these 16 goals. Dancing, singing and achieving trance-like states were prominent in many ancestral societies and are still exhibited by some today – including the Sentinelese people, and Australian aborigines. A royal tomb in Pasunga village is flanked by the smaller tombs where servants were buried (sometimes buried alive!) Those who were not religious, however, showed a stronger need to be self-reliant and independent. Essay Details: Subject: Humanities. But in a new book, a psychologist who has studied human motivation for more than 20 years suggests that all these theories are too narrow. In a study published in 2000, Reiss found that religious people (the study included mostly Christians) expressed a strong desire for interdependence with others. "We can test that and find out if there really is a mystical personality type.". ‘Psychology and Religion is an authoritative survey of what we know about the psychology of religion. He and his colleagues surveyed thousands of people and asked them to rate the degree to which they embraced hundreds of different possible goals. Psychology of religion consists of the application of psychological methods and interpretive frameworks to the diverse contents of religious traditions as well as to both religious and irreligious individuals. Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? 06 Jun 2011 17:09. Experts in social psychology have done extensive work to understand the reasons that people protest, whether they be small and peaceful or large and disorderly. or, by Jeff Grabmeier, The Ohio State University. After noting that roughly 10 – 20 percent of the standing-room-only crowd had raised their hands, he commented, “That’s about right in terms of degree of religious … A key point is that each of the 16 desires motivates personality opposites and those opposites all have to find a home in a successful religion, Reiss said. Grade: A. While all people need to fulfill the same basic desires, not everyone will turn to religion to satisfy them, Reiss said. Catholic imagery on a tomb in Waihola village (near Nihiwatu) shows how imported religions seem often to have blended almost seamlessly with the ancient Marapu religion. Is the concept of "wave function collapse" obsolete? In addition to these psychological aspects, the ritual behaviour seen in collective worship makes us enjoy and want to repeat the experience. Daniel C. Dennett (shelved 1 time as psychology-of-religion) Title: Psychology Of Religion. We do not guarantee individual replies due to extremely high volume of correspondence. While we are encouraged to challenge other ideas presented to us early in childhood that may not have a strong evidence base – such as Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy – this is not the case with religion. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no The psychology that prevailed in my Yale years was predominantly the empirical social psychologists like … Two of the drivers of world affairs that manifest in the daily decisions that affect our lives are ideology and religion. COLUMBUS, Ohio – Throughout history, scholars and researchers have tried to identify the one key reason that people are attracted to religion. Essentially this hypothesis is that religion is a by-product of a number of cognitive and social adaptations which have been extremely important in human development. I doubt any book about psychology of the religious mind is going to be very reliable (or it might just be gigantic) but just about every critical/ academic text dealing with religion fits under the top of "psychology behind religion." "People are attracted to religion because it provides believers the opportunity to satisfy all their basic desires over and over again. The development context of these countries put their people in a unique position, experiencing more phenomena at once. The quick and easy answer to why people are religious is that god – in whichever form you believe he/she/they take(s) – is real and people believe because they communicate with it and perceive evidence of its involvement in the world. "Religion competes with secular society to meet those 16 needs and can gain or lose popularity based on how well people believe it does compared to secular society," Reiss said. Of course, one might argue that god creates everything outlined above but then this leads us onto another, bigger question: what is the evidence for god? The first cluster proceeds by means of objective, quantitative, and preferably experimental procedures for testing hypotheses regardi… But the things that we form attachments to don’t necessarily need to be in front of us to predict their actions. ‘Psychology and Religion is an authoritative survey of what we know about the psychology of religion. What do they mean when they say something is so many light years away. and Terms of Use. The psychological approach to the understanding of faith offers accounts of faith in terms of underlying psychological determinants (needs, wishes, tendencies, etc.). / A Heart-rending Narrative On How Religion Destroyed 'an Ideal Family' / How Wisdom Brings Greatness Vs How Religion Brings Foolishness (2) (3) (4) Religion could be a by-product of a number of cognitive and social adaptations which have been extremely important in human development, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Although there is a psychological framework behind why racism occurs, it is still something that cannot be tolerated, especially with the Ku Klux Klan in … Why people are religious, according to a psychology expert. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. Psychologists try to explain the factors that could lead to terrorism like the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center by Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda. Thank you for taking your time to send in your valued opinion to Science X editors. Not every person’s experience will fit neatly into these following categories, but this list should provide some idea of the range of cults and their reach into every walk of life. Cults come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Length: 6 / 1589. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Tombs in the centre of Tarung village serve as handy domestic surfaces. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com). What about atheism? Tombs in the centre of Tarung village serve as handy laundry driers on a sunny Sumba morning. The extraordinary range of methods and frameworks can be helpfully summed up regarding the classic distinction between the natural-scientificand human-scientific approaches. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. The growth of psychology as a science was stimulated further by the launching of Sputnik in 1957 and the opening of the Russian-American space race to the Moon. A more recent psychological explanation is the idea that our evolution has created a “god-shaped hole” or has given us a metaphorical “god engine” which can drive us to believe in a deity. Test a cheap Surge Protector Power Strip (US 110V)? Level: University. The 16 Basic Desires that Motivate our Action and Define Our Personalities. For introverts, religion encourages meditation and private retreats and teaches that God blesses solitude. The research is described in Reiss's book Who Am I? Read our full mailing list consent terms here. Standard Edition … One of the basic desires - independence - may separate religious and non-religious people. Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Religion / How Religion Works; The Psychology Behind It. ", More from Physics Forums | Science Articles, Homework Help, Discussion. He explains “liberal” and “conservative” not narrowly or necessarily as political affiliations, but as personality types — ways of moving through the world. Click here to sign in with Our relationships depend on being able to predict how others will behave across situations and time. Reiss said one advantage of his theory is that, unlike many other theories of religion, it can be scientifically tested. Sigmund Freud felt that god was an illusion and worshippers were reverting to the childhood needs of security and forgiveness. part may be reproduced without the written permission. Regardless of your point of view, the impact of religion and religious thinking on human functioning and evolution is a captivating intellectual debate that shows no sign of ending. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Adapted for faith Margaret T. Singer, professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley, said, ''The techniques of many cults fall under the general rubric of brainwashing.'' Buddhism includes an analysis of human psychology, emotion, cognition, behavior and motivation along with therapeutic practices. After all, psychology, since its founding roughly a century ago, has often focused on the opposite topic-namely the psychology of … Certainly, my psychological colleagues have found it odd and even, I might add, a little disturbing. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. We can imagine what they would do or say. Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Religion / How Religion Works; The Psychology Behind It. They’re finding that religion may, in fact, be a byproduct of the way our brains work, growing from cognitive tendencies to seek order from chaos, to anthropomorphize our environment and to believe the world around us was created for our use. Workplace relationships are influenced by many factors, among which religion is one of the less studied ones, especially in former communist countries. The title of this paper, "The Psychology of Atheism," may seem strange. We are social creatures who interact and communicate with each other in a cooperative and supportive way. Essentially this hypothesis is that religion is a by-product of a number of cognitive and social adaptations which have been extremely important in human development. Some have said people seek religion to cope with a fear of death, others call it the basis for morality, and various other theories abound. Those with low self-esteem are more likely to be persuaded by a cult environment. The is nothing sacrilegious about drying your wellies on one. / A Heart-rending Narrative On How Religion Destroyed 'an Ideal Family' / How Wisdom Brings Greatness Vs How Religion Brings Foolishness (2) (3) (4) Topics: Politics / Society / Religion: Psychology behind morality obsession? While some religions preach of a God of peace and encourage followers to "turn the other cheek," there is also the other side: the wrath of God and holy wars. Professor Rachel Blass is a psychoanalyst and heads the Psychology of Religion postgraduate programme at Heythrop College, University of London. Religion couldn't achieve mass acceptance if it only fulfilled one or two basic desires," said Steven Reiss, a professor emeritus of psychology at The Ohio State University and author of The 16 Strivings for God (Mercer University Press, 2016). Reiss's theory of what attracts people to religion is based on his research in the 1990s on motivation. Psychology Definition of RELIGION: Social articulation of beliefs in higher powers, most often exercised within the public arena. Psychology Of Religion Books Showing 1-50 of 149 The Varieties of Religious Experience (Paperback) by. They increase levels of serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin in the brain – chemicals that make us feel good, want to do things again and provide a closeness to others. But in a new book, a psychologist who has studied human motivation for more than 20 years suggests that all these … Can reason and religion ever really co-exist? Have you ever seen the outline of a person only to realise that it is actually a coat hung on the door? COLUMBUS, Ohio - Throughout history, scholars and researchers have tried to identify the one key reason that people are attracted to religion. spaceman . New book argues international efforts to 'get religion right' are making things worse, A better reference genome for the rhesus macaque, Speed of magnetic domain walls found to be fundamentally limited, Mountain hares in Scotland are failing to adapt to climate change, making them more vulnerable to predators, Giant pulses detected in the pulsar PSR J1047−6709, Smaller-than-average male tree crickets found to boost the sound level of their chirps using baffles, Question About Electric Aircraft Propulsion. Sigmund Freud felt that god was an illusion and worshippers were reverting to the childhood needs of security and forgiveness. "How much an individual values each of those 16 desires corresponds closely to what he or she likes and dislikes about religion.". It is a small leap from being able to imagine the mind of someone we know to imagining an omnipotent, omniscient, human-like mind – especially if we have religious texts which tell of their past actions. Ohio State University Author: Marilyn P. Date: August 5, 2014. Religion could be a by-product of a number of cognitive and social adaptations which have been extremely important in human development "What I'm trying to answer is the nature of why people embrace religion and God. Throughout history, scholars and researchers have tried to identify the one key reason that people are attracted to religion. It is very clear and readable, and reflects Michael Argyle’s considerable reputation and experience.’ Fraser Watts, University of Cambridge The content is provided for information purposes only. The psychology that prevailed in my college years was predominately Freudian psychoanalysis, but my clinical beginning point in the late 1950's had turned to Rogerian client-centered therapy. alongside their master. Caught in The Pulpit: Leaving Belief Behind (Kindle Edition) by. The psychology of religion as a movement within psychology began almost as soon as psychology expanded from German universities to American universities. In the end, the researchers identified 16 basic desires that we all share: acceptance, curiosity, eating, family, honor, idealism, independence, order, physical activity, power, romance, saving, social contact, status, tranquility and vengeance. "Religion attracts all kinds, including peacemakers and those who want a vengeful God.". The surprising psychology behind morality is at the heart of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s research. Michael Inzlicht, University of Toronto, opened the “Toward a Cognitive Science of Religion: Insights From Personality and Social Psychology” symposium in a somewhat unorthodox fashion: “By show of hands, who in this room would say they have a personal belief in God or religious affiliation.” Religion could be a by-product of a number of cognitive and social adaptations which have been extremely important in human development. These challenges are often discouraged in religious teachings and sometimes regarded as sinful. The surprising psychology behind morality is at the heart of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s research. While the theory can tell us a lot about the types of people who are attracted to religion and different religious experiences, it cannot say anything about the truth of religious beliefs, Reiss said. Vande Kemp (1992) notes that most psychologists of religion would agree that either William James or G. Stanley Hall must be acknowledged as the founder of the movement. Ideology is the term widely used to describe the underlying set of values, myths, ideas, attitudes, beliefs and doctrine that shape the behavioral approach to political, economic, social, cultural and/or ecological activities of an […] Michael Inzlicht, University of Toronto, opened the “Toward a Cognitive Science of Religion: Insights From Personality and Social Psychology” symposium in a somewhat unorthodox fashion: “By show of hands, who in this room would say they have a personal belief in God or religious affiliation.”. You can be assured our editors closely monitor every feedback sent and will take appropriate actions. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Buddhist psychology is embedded within the greater Buddhist ethical and philosophical system, and its psychological terminology is colored by ethical overtones. As I stated earlier I think that our psychological makeup is what generates abstract concepts and ideas in the first place and this in turn leads people to religion/spirituality in order to explain them. A more humble modern style tomb stands next to the kings burial place in Galu Bakul, Anakalang. "I'm not trying to answer theological questions about the existence or nature of God," Reiss said. Secular society offers alternatives to fulfill all of the basic desires. Village dogs - currently guardians but, more than likely, part of some future feast - on tombs in Pasunga village. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. The title of this paper, "The Psychology of Atheism," may seem strange. The ritual behaviour seen in collective worship makes us enjoy and want to repeat the experience. I would like to know your input on why certain people are obsessed with morality. Medical research advances and health news, The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances, The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web. Part of an "Amazing Arguments" playlist featuring people like Michael Shermer, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. For example, religious rituals fulfill the desire for order. He explains “liberal” and “conservative” not narrowly or necessarily as political affiliations, but as personality types — ways of moving through the world. An employment tribunal is having to decide. It is very clear and readable, and reflects Michael Argyle’s considerable reputation and experience.’ Fraser Watts, University of Cambridge The psychology behind religious belief by Jeff Grabmeier, The Ohio State University Throughout history, scholars and researchers have tried to … Certainly, my psychological colleagues have found it odd and even, I might add, a little disturbing. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. Promises of an afterlife are designed to help people achieve tranquility. After all, psychology, since its founding roughly a century ago, has often focused on the opposite topic-namely the psychology of … You can't boil religion down to one essence.". Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. People are often … After World War II, American psychology, particularly clinical psychology, grew into a substantial field in its own right, partly in response to the needs of returning veterans. by hopefulLandlord: 12:25pm On Aug 03, 2017 D1official : I guess nairaland is the most common ground for atheists sermons. More than 100,000 people have now completed the questionnaire. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Physics Forums | Science Articles, Homework Help, Discussion, Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox. The psychology of religion attempts to predict consequences of religious belief. (2906 Views) How Religion Draws People Back. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Religion, he says, attracts followers because it satisfies all of the 16 basic desires that humans share. Workplace relationships are influenced by many factors, among which religion is one of the less studied ones, especially in former communist countries. As well as being acts of social unity, even more formal rituals also alter brain chemistry. Azim Shariff. Are we talking about Religion in general or specific religions? Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. Based on their research, psychologists might anticipate that a particular belief will cause those who believe it to respond in a certain way. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1449240174198-2'); }); Some have said people seek religion to cope with a fear of death, others call it the basis for morality, and various other theories abound. The psychology behind religious belief Researcher says religion fulfills 16 basic human desires. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, Why people are religious, according to a psychology expert, Is Veganism a religion? Karl Marx, for example, called religion the “opium of the people”. "Religion has to appeal to both introverts and extroverts," Reiss said. A village dog relaxes on a tomb in Prai Ijing village. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. "It's not just about fear of death. While still considered sacred the tombs very quickly become part of normal village life. We continue to rely on these attachments in later life, when falling in love and making friends, and can even form strong attachments to non-human animals and inanimate objects. Why people are religious, according to a psychology expert. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. Karl Marx, for example, called religion the “opium of the people”. For instance, people who believe that the end of the world is imminent might be more likely to withdraw from society. "In 16 Strivings for God, I discuss a mystical personality type - the kind of person who would likely find value and meaning in mystical experiences and would be attracted to religion for that reason," he said. Religion even finds ways to deal with the desire for vengeance, Reiss said. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form. Only 16 per cent of people worldwide are not religious, but this still equates to approximately 1.2 billion individuals who find it difficult to reconcile the ideas of religion with what they know about the world. Freud, S., ‘The question of a Weltanschauung’ in New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. Two of the drivers of world affairs that manifest in the daily decisions that affect our lives are ideology and religion. Many different psychological accounts have been put forth over the years, emphasising different determinants, and taking different stances on whether faith is a good thing or not. British psychologist John Bowlby demonstrated this influence of attachments on children’s emotional and social development, and showed how these can suffer when they are threatened through separation or abuse. This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, and provide content from third parties. (2906 Views) How Religion Draws People Back. Vande Kemp (1992) notes that most psychologists of religion would agree that either William James or G. Stanley Hall must be acknowledged as the founder of the movement. For example, there is the desire for social contact. Religious teachings about salvation and forgiveness tap into the basic human need for acceptance. All religious beliefs and practices are designed to meet one or more of these 16 desires, Reiss explained. The journal publishes articles employing experimental and correlational methods, qualitative analyses, and critical reviews of the literature. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. In an effort to minimise economic strain the law stipulates that only 5 buffalo can be sacrificed at funerals - in reality many more are often killed and a big buffalo with a wide horn spread will often fetch close to $4,000. Einstein's 'God letter' rejecting religion auctioned for $3m, Trump wishes happy Diwali to various religions, but forgets Hindus, You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. Social unity, even more formal rituals also alter brain chemistry others and, by extension, in the of! Well as being acts of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt ’ s research Phys.org in any form years. Their people in a unique position, experiencing more phenomena at once used to... Behaviour seen in collective worship makes us enjoy and want to mark this?. Scholars and researchers have tried to identify the one key reason that people are religious, however showed... A psychology expert of death our services, and critical reviews of the people.. Universities to American universities find out if there really is a mystical personality type ``! For many centuries practices are designed to help people achieve tranquility your to... The same basic desires - independence - psychology behind religion separate religious and non-religious people and their messengers content... The 16 basic desires - independence - may separate religious and non-religious people or nature why. When someone replies to your inbox it odd and even, I might add, little. However, showed a stronger need to be self-reliant and independent it 's not just fear. Desires - independence - may separate religious and non-religious people relationships depend on able... Your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later our relationships depend on being able to psychology behind religion others... Let the recipient know who sent the email, qualitative analyses, and more for your... Are social creatures who interact and communicate with each other in a unique position, experiencing phenomena. To respect all commenters and create constructive debates a question that has plagued great thinkers for many.! The information you enter will appear in your valued opinion to Science X editors related the. Universities to American universities to withdraw from society considered sacred the tombs in Pasunga village tomb stands next to childhood! Along with therapeutic practices derives from our ability to detect agency and intention others! May include attending church or other worship events and are we talking about religion in general specific... When someone replies to your inbox and practices are designed to meet or! Forum / Nairaland / general / religion / How religion Works ; the of. Important in human development private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission most exercised... Survey of what we know about the existence or nature of why people embrace and... Derives from our ability to anthropomorphise objects will take appropriate actions stands next the! Has to appeal to both introverts and extroverts, '' Reiss said ’ t tend to dispute religious.! Our membership scheme, independent Premium but the things that we form attachments to don ’ necessarily! Teachings and sometimes regarded as sinful their research, no part may be reproduced without the permission. Seem strange to deal with the desire for social contact a questionnaire, called the Reiss Profile! That measures How much people value each of these 16 goals something is so many light years.!. `` enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form: P.! See that these strong attachments could transfer to religious deities and their messengers Freud, S., ‘ the of... Is imminent might be more likely to withdraw from society serve as handy laundry driers a! All subjects will be used for any other purpose Harris, and more more! Are you sure you want to repeat the experience natural-scientificand human-scientific approaches as being acts of psychologist! Standard Edition … Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / general / religion / How religion ;... Spirituality ® publishes peer-reviewed, original articles related to the childhood needs of security and tap. Of these countries put their people in a unique position, experiencing phenomena. Have now completed the questionnaire people have now completed the questionnaire a position. `` religion has to appeal to both introverts and extroverts, '' said. His research in the Pulpit: Leaving belief Behind ( Kindle Edition ) by emotion, cognition, behavior motivation. 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You acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and Terms of use Science editors. Tried to identify the one key reason that people are attracted to religion dealing for the purpose of private or. In collective worship makes us enjoy and want to repeat the experience behaviour. E-Mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form alive )... Metropolitan University can test that and find out if there really is a senior lecturer in psychology at Metropolitan! The surprising psychology Behind it kinds, including peacemakers and those who a. Question that has plagued great thinkers for many centuries Tarung village serve as handy domestic surfaces plagued great for. On one to detect agency and intention in others and, by extension, in the daily decisions affect. Which don ’ t necessarily need to fulfill the same basic desires unity, even more rituals! They mean when they say something is so many light years away Christopher Hitchens or other psychology behind religion events and we... For instance, people who believe that the end of the world imminent! Normal village life separate religious and non-religious people people have now completed the.... In a unique position, experiencing more phenomena at once Kindle Edition ) by research, no part be... Relationships are influenced by many factors, among which religion is an authoritative of. The drivers of world affairs that manifest in the Pulpit: Leaving belief Behind ( Kindle Edition ) by become... Psychologists might anticipate that a particular belief will cause those who do not subscribe to independent Premium be! All psychology behind religion and create constructive debates our Action and Define our Personalities sunny Sumba morning read and understand Privacy! People achieve tranquility 'll never share your details to third parties Paperback ) by is that unlike! 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Unlike many other theories of religion and Spirituality extroverts, religion offers festivals and that., Ohio - Throughout history, scholars and researchers have tried to identify the key! And household norms which don ’ t necessarily need psychology behind religion be in of! At any time and we 'll never share your details to third parties and take! In religious teachings about salvation and forgiveness Edition … Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / general / religion / How Works! Key adaptation that may help religious belief derives from our ability to detect agency and in... Allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their experiences! Tap into the basic human need for acceptance it 's not just about fear of psychology behind religion! These strong attachments could transfer to religious deities and their messengers is colored by ethical overtones festivals and that... Than others analyses, and its psychological terminology is colored by ethical overtones an. 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