UChicago study: Religious upbringing leads to less altruism, harsher punishments

[Joe Republic]

Many families believe religion plays an essential role in childhood moral development. But children of religious parents may not be as altruistic as those parents think, according to a new international study from the University of Chicago published Nov. 5 in Current Biology.

A team of developmental psychologists led by Prof. Jean Decety examined the perceptions and behavior of children in six countries. The study assessed the children’s tendency to share—a measure of their altruism—and their inclination to judge and punish others for bad behavior.

Children from religious families were less likely to share with others than were children from non-religious families. A religious upbringing also was associated with more punitive tendencies in response to anti-social behavior.

The results were at odds with the perceptions of religious parents, who were more likely than non-religious parents to report that their children had a high degree of empathy and sensitivity to the plight of others.

“Our findings contradict the common-sense and popular assumption that children from religious households are more altruistic and kind toward others. In our study, kids from atheist and non-religious families were, in fact, more generous,” said Decety, the Irving B. Harris Distinguished Service Professor in Psychology and Psychiatry and the College and director of the University of Chicago Child NeuroSuite.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Self-licensing is a hell of a drug.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Why did they focus on two unrelated behaviors? Or did they study a number of behaviors and only report on ones that showed apparently statistically significant differences? (I have a low opinion of the uses social scientists make of statistics.)

Quibbles about methodology aside, I find the altruism result worrisome but not the punishment one. While it shouldn't be the only method of dealing with antisocial behavior, punishment is a valid method that should be used when appropriate. Hence, the reported results don't provide the context to determine if the religious were too harsh or the irreligious were too lenient.

[HillGoose]

can confirm. was raised highly religious, became an awful person.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Was raised highly religious. My terribleness is in spite of such.

@HG: We now have a sample of two.

In any case, given what I’ve alreasy heard and read on the matter, I’m uninclined to take this as gospel.