The motivational underpinnings of religion

Mark Jordan Landau; Jeff Greenberg; Sheldon Solomon

doi:10.1017/S0140525X0435017X

The motivational underpinnings of religion

Mark Jordan Landau
, Jeff Greenberg
, Sheldon Solomon

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Terror management theory and research can rectify shortcomings in Atran & Norenzayan's (A&N's) analysis of religion. (1) Religious and secular worldviews are much more similar than the target article supposes; (2) a propensity for embracing supernatural beliefs is likely to have conferred an adaptive advantage over the course of evolution; and (3) the claim that supernatural agent beliefs serve a terror management function independent of worldview bolstering is not empirically supported.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	743-744
Number of pages	2
Journal	Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Volume	27
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X0435017X
State	Published - Dec 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Physiology
Behavioral Neuroscience

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Cite this

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AU - Solomon, Sheldon

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AB - Terror management theory and research can rectify shortcomings in Atran & Norenzayan's (A&N's) analysis of religion. (1) Religious and secular worldviews are much more similar than the target article supposes; (2) a propensity for embracing supernatural beliefs is likely to have conferred an adaptive advantage over the course of evolution; and (3) the claim that supernatural agent beliefs serve a terror management function independent of worldview bolstering is not empirically supported.

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DO - 10.1017/S0140525X0435017X

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JO - Behavioral and Brain Sciences

JF - Behavioral and Brain Sciences

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The motivational underpinnings of religion

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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