PSYC 221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Cultural Evolution, Terror Management Theory, Radicalization

• School: University of Maryland
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 221
• Professor: Dylan Selterman

Document Summary

Increases belief in supernatural agents, afterlife, mind-body distinctions. Thoughts of death make people more spiritual, helps them cope with grief and anxiety. Divine purpose is orderly = belief in a just world. God as a parental figure personal relationship with god. 70% of americans say religious identity >> other social identity (ethnic, geographic) When people were told that the shocks they received were unintentional, they reported it as less painful. When it was intentional, they reported as more painful. Tighter societies (increases socail norms), behaviors -> meaningfulness, decreases suicide rate. Peoples everyday normative actions have more meaningfulness, more to live for. Experimental evidence -> less cheating in lab tasks. Primed with god as a punisher -> less likely to cheat. Primed with a nice god -> no effect. Less likely to break a rule, if you are likely to be punished. Atheists are less trusted, less liked in groups (by far)