Study of the Day: Religion Boosts Patience, Has Practical Benefits
The Atlantic:
Faith doesn’t just assuage fears about the afterlife. Research published in Psychological Science shows that it fuels self-control too.
PROBLEM: Religious believers are often called on to exercise self-control. Christians, for instance, are commanded not to lie, steal, or covet thy neighbor’s wife. But can following one’s faith, which uses up so much willpower, also replenish this limited resource?
METHODOLOGY: Researchers led by Queen’s University psychology graduate student Kevin Rounding asked participants to unscramble five-word sentences, some of which contained religious themes. After unscrambling them, the participants were asked to complete a number of tasks that required self-control, such as exerting patience, delaying gratification, and refraining from impulsive responses.
Read the whole story: The Atlantic
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