In a recent post, we shared some basic background to the scientific study of religion, which has been one major focus of CMAC’s work. If you want more introductory information on this area of research, check out what our collaborator…
In addition to conducting research, we need to communicate it. Project-specific communication, in the form of blog posts, newsletters, and social media can advance understanding, inform future donors, and enact change. By sharing CMAC’s research methods, project goals, and specific…
Wesley Wildman, Connor Wood, Catherine Caldwell-Harris, Aimee S. Radom, Nicholas DiDonato Psychology of Religion Abstract: The Multidimensional Religious Ideology (MRI) scale is a new 43-item measure that quantifies conservative versus liberal aspects of religious ideology. The MRI focuses on recurring…
In 2017, CMAC Researchers Jonathan Morgan, Connor Wood, and Catherine Caldwell-Harris published their paper “Reflective Thought, Religious Belief, and the Social Foundations Hypothesis” as a chapter in the book The New Reflectionism edited by Gordon Pennycook. In 2021, AI bots…
7th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion August 12 – 15, 2018 It’s been a busy week of CMACer presentations & participation. Here’s a full listing of all that we were up to at…
Here’s an interesting fact: no other animals can keep a beat as well as humans can. From drumming to dancing to marching in time, humans have a unique knack for synchrony – repetitive, rhythmically entrained, social behavior. Researchers have found…
Are religious people less analytical thinkers? A growing body of research suggests that the answer is “yes.” For one thing, religious believers perform more poorly on tests of analytical (“System 2”) intelligence, instead showing a preference for intuitive thinking styles…
From the Roman Empire to the USSR, even the most sophisticated societies eventually collapse, leaving behind ruins, a displaced populace, or (at best) a whole lot of unpleasant paperwork. But some societies last a lot longer than others. Why? One…
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood Presbyterian Church in Sudbury MA USA May 4, 2018 Learn More about the Lecture
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood and Research Director Catherine Caldwell-Harris Journal of Cognition and Culture April 27, 2018 Abstract: Synchrony — intentional, rhythmic motor entrainment in groups — is an important topic in social psychology and the cognitive science of religion. Synchrony…
This article was originally published at Patheos and has been reprinted with permission. Why Is Shamanism So Common?
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood & Doctoral Fellow Kate Stockly Behavioral and Brain Sciences April 6, 2018 Abstract: Singh deploys cultural evolution to explain recurrent features of shamanistic trance forms, but fails to substantively address important distinctions between these forms. Possession trance…
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood Museum of Science, Boston MA USA March 24, 2018 View More Information
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood Rabbis Without Borders Alumni Retreat at the Pearlstone Center, Reisterstown MD USA February 12, 2018 Retreat Summary: No matter where we all fall on the political, cultural and religious spectrum, we are all struggling in some way…
Research Director Catherine Caldwell-Harris, Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood and Doctoral Fellow Jonathan Morgan Chapter in The New Reflectionism in Cognitive Psychology: Why Reason Matters December 2017 Abstract: Analytical thinking predicts irreligiosity across paradigms and contexts. Explanations for this association have included…
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood (Co-Organizer of Conference) Conference on Evolution of Religion II: How Biology, Psychology and Culture Interact November 12 – 15, 2017 Conference Summary: The first International Conference on the Evolution of Religion was held in Hawaii in January,…
This article was originally published at Patheos and has been reprinted with permission. Religion and self-regulation: a model (and a trip to Norway)
Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood The International Association for the Psychology of Religion Conference: Culture, Context and Existential Challenges August 24, 2017 Abstract: Religiosity is linked with trait self-regulation and self-control, but it is unclear what drives this association. Here, I explore…
This article was originally published at Patheos and has been reprinted with permission. Religion builds self-control and excludes outsiders – simultaneously
This article was originally published at Patheos and has been reprinted with permission. Supernatural punishment and the evolution of cooperation