Psychology of Religion

New research reveals a link between Christian nationalism and negative attitudes towards atheists in the United States. The findings were published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

New research suggests that religious individuals in the U.S. employ more mate retention behaviors, varying these strategies based on their perceptions of their partner's religiosity. The study highlights how these behaviors are used differently by men and women to maintain...

An analysis of the data from the National Study of Youth and Religion showed that abandoning a religious identification during adolescence or early adulthood led to worse relationship with parents. Interestingly, this effect was not observed in young adults who...

New research delves into how religious beliefs affect abstinence and sexual intimacy decisions among premarital Christian couples. The study, published in the journal Personal Relationships, identified seven themes related to uncertainty, partner interference, and partner facilitation in navigating sexual boundaries,...

A recent study delves into the intriguing high rates of cosmetic surgery in Utah, a state with a significant population of members from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church). The research reveals that while religious attachment...

A study published in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality reveals that formerly religious individuals are more likely to experience a sense of not belonging and conceal their nonreligious identity compared to those who were never religious. This trend was observed...

A new longitudinal study of parents and children in the United Kingdom found that children whose mothers were more likely to have internalizing problems, like feeling anxious or withdrawn, which can lead to disorders like depression. On the other hand,...

A new study has found that both Christian nationalism and biblical literalism are independently associated with a greater tendency to believe in conspiracy theories. When people believed in both Christian nationalism and biblical literalism, their distrust of government officials increased...

Two new social experiments showed that people prompted to experience both gratitude and indebtedness at the same time were more likely to behave in a prosocial way. Wanting to repay a debt produced better prosocial outcomes than having to repay...

People who perceived God as a frequent gift giver are more inclined to attribute positive events to God and experience gratitude towards God, according to new research published in The Journal of Positive Psychology. The findings highlight the role of...

People who use psychedelic drugs for entheogenic purposes tend to also have heightened spiritual development, according to new research published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies. The new findings provide insight into how entheogenic drug use is related to spirituality...

Reminders of death tend to reduce meaning in life among atheists who are told that atheism is common but not among those who are told atheism is rare, according to new research published in Frontiers in Psychology. The findings suggest...

New research published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology sheds light on the complicated relationships between prayer, daily life experiences, and psychological well-being. The findings indicate that the content of people's prayers tends to reflect the nature of their...

Struggles related to spirituality and religion are commonly experienced in the face of suffering, according to new research published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Interestingly, this is particularly true among those with high religious engagement.