Thinking can undermine religious faith, study finds [View all]

[Rhiannon12866]

Those who think more analytically are less inclined to be religious believers than are those who tend to follow a gut instinct, researchers conclude.

Scientists have revealed one of the reasons why some folks are less religious than others: They think more analytically, rather than going with their gut. And thinking analytically can cause religious belief to wane — for skeptics and true believers alike.

The study, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science, indicates that belief may be a more malleable feature of the human psyche than those of strong faith may think.

The cognitive origins of belief — and disbelief — traditionally haven't been explored with academic rigor, said lead author Will Gervais, a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-religion-analytical-thinking-20120427,0,5374010.story?track=icymi

Ran across this by accident, but it's something I've long struggled to understand, so I thought others might be interested, too.