Does what you believe matter?

Religious belief and the decision-making process

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” 

- A.W. Tozer, “Knowledge of the Holy”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZCOf_4wYQE

Nones on the Rise

Religious “none”: a person who does not affiliate with a specific religion

Not to be confused with: Non-practicing/non-attending

believers Atheists and agnostics

1/5 of the general public and 1/3 of adults under 30 years old are “nones”

Questions for Research

Does amount of faith affect decision making processes?

Study on Christian Leaders

Judith Needham-Penrose and Harris L. Friedman, “Moral Identity versus Moral Reasoning in Religious…”

Purpose: are religious conservatives morally immature? Subjects: seminary students Findings:

Religious Conservatives have low moral reasoning Religious Conservatives have high moral identity

Relevance: shows that assumptions can be made about those of high faith and low faith

Study on Office Workers

Kristin Laurin, “Can Belief in God Affect How We Act at the Office?” Purpose: will a reminder of a divinity strengthen temptation resistance? Subjects: undergrads at a public university Findings:

Subjects who were reminded of God ate under 3 cookies Subjects who weren’t reminded of God ate more than 8 cookies

Relevance: even the subtle reminder of a divinity can change our behavior

Questions for Research

What are the differences in how faith affects major-life decisions versus routine decisions?

Study about Major Life Choices

Bergey, Shain, and Sigalowd, “Religion and Decisions About Marriage, Residence, Occupation, and Children”

Purpose: do people cite their faith as an influence in major decision making? Subjects: participants in a broad scale research network (PALs) Findings:

The more religious one was, the more they attributed their faith as a deciding factor in all major decisions

Relevance: religious people heavily rely on their beliefs to make major life choices

Study on College Students

Nelms, D. Hutchins, E. Hutchins, and Pursley, “Spirituality and the Health of College Students”

Purpose: what is the relationship between spirituality and the health of students?

Subjects: Students enrolled in a University of Tennessee health course Findings:

Students who relied on faith to make decisions made more wholesome health choices

Relevance: faith/belief effects even our most basic decision making process

Conclusions

Religiosity Assumptions can be made about people

of low or high faith Everyone is subject to altered decision

making process when reminded of a divinity, despite personal beliefs

Big vs. Routine Decisions Faith impacts important, life defining

decisions Faith impacts routine, day to day

decisions

How is this relevant to us?

Be Conscious of Worldview

References

Needham-Penrose, J., & Friedman, H. L. (2012). Moral Identity versus Moral Reasoning in Religious Conservatives: Do Christian Evangelical Leaders Really Lack Moral Maturity?. Humanistic Psychologist, 40(4), 343-363. doi:10.1080/08873267.2012.724256

Zimmerman, E. (2013, November 3). Kristin Laurin: Can Belief in God Affect How We Act at the Office? Retrieved October 20, 2015, from https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/kristin-laurin-can-belief-god-affect-how-we-act office

Sigalow, E., Shain, M., & Bergey, M. R. (2012). Religion and Decisions About Marriage, Residence, Occupation, and Children. Journal For The Scientific Study Of

Religion, 51(2), 304-323. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5906.2012.01641.x Nelms, L., Hutchins, E., Hutchins, D., & Pursley, R. (2007). Spirituality and the Health of

College Students. Journal Of Religion & Health, 46(2), 249-265. doi:10.1007/s10943-006 9075-0

Image Credits

Videor. (2009, May 16). Michael Scott about God. Retrieved December 1, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZCOf_4wYQE

Tozer, A. W. (1961). The knowledge of the holy: The attributes of God, their meaning in the Christian life. New York: Harper & Row. Lugo, Luis, and Alan Cooperman. ""Nones" on the Rise." Pew Forum. Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life, 08 Oct. 2012.

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http://selfmadescholar.com/b/2009/06/11/ivy-league-education-at-home-part-6-moral-reasoning/ ESPN Fantasy Football - Play For Free. (2014). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://games.espn.go.com/ffl/clubhouse?

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