Religion can improve your self-control — even if you don’t believe in God

[rug]

By Robert T. Gonzalez
May 17, 2012 11:28 AM

Think your beliefs preclude you from being influenced by religious thoughts? Think again. Psychologists at Queen's University have demonstrated that test subjects who are primed to think subconsciously about religion — including agnostics and atheists — actually perform better at tasks requiring self-control than those who aren't.

Sound bizarre? It gets weirder: test subjects who were primed with religion even demonstrated more self-control than those primed with concepts relating to pure morality.

Most people identify with some form of religion, and most religions stress the importance of practicing some degree of self-control.

"When we say 'self control,'" Queen's University psychologist Kevin Rounding tells io9, "what we're talking about is our capacity to refrain from personally desirable actions and impulses, and instead opt for behaviors that are more advantageous by bringing our behavior in line with more socially acceptable standards."

http://io9.com/5911085/religion-can-improve-your-self+control--even-if-you-dont-believe-in-god/

The abstract (full article costs $35.00):

http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/05/02/0956797611431987.abstract

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Ah then this explains the correlation between teen age pregnancies

and religiosity. It is all that self control.

[cbayer]

2. It could also have to do with lack of easy access to birth control and abortions.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Ah no, as the std rate also correlates.

But correlation is not causation.

[cbayer]

4. Also could be a result of access to services and levels of poverty.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Yes it could. Or it could be that religiosity does nothing for self control.

[cbayer]

7. That is true as well. Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to

look at the actual methods for this study, as I don't think it's worth the cost.

[Jim__]

6. Sounds like an interesting study, but I don't want to spend $35 on it.

If it's interesting enough, we should see some criticism of it pretty soon.