Religion and Spending

[ubs]

There is a new study out from Cornell measuring the effect of religious identity on people's economic choices.

In the lab, after religious identity was evoked, group participants played strategic games where they made contributions, offered wages (as a manager), worked hours (as an employee), gave things away via discount rates (as a dictator). Also measured were risk aversion and willingness to exert real effort.

The study, which outlines the games is here (pdf)

We find that Protestantism increases contributions to public goods, and there is suggestive evidence that it increases employee reciprocity in a labor market with incomplete contracts. Catholicism decreases contributions to public goods, increases employee reciprocity, and decreases risk aversion. Judaism increases labor market reciprocity. There is some evidence that Christianity and Judaism increase employer wage offers. However, we find no evidence that religious identity affects discount rates or purely altruistic generosity.

Interestingly, atheists and agnostics responded as the Protestants did.

Catholics! tsk, tsk.

[Choobus]

In a paper that claims to draw conclusions regarding how people do anything based on their religion, ought not the authors declare theirs?

[Philboid Studge]

The "religious identity priming instrument" sounds a bit oily.

The non-believers scored higher on SATs then all religious groups; I trust the authors accounted for that in their findings ...

[Victus]

Philboid Studge wrote

The "religious identity priming instrument" sounds a bit oily.

The non-believers scored higher on SATs then all religious groups; I trust the authors accounted for that in their findings ...

I won't lie, I would find it really amusing to write "because the atheists were so much more intelligent than their theistic counterparts, we entered this factor as a covariate" into a methods section of a proper paper.

[Mog]

For the record, the guy from Yale is a Baptist.
http://www.som.yale.edu/faculty/jjc83/whychrist.html

[calpurnpiso]

Religion & spending are rooted in the ancient act of giving & taking which created the economy & wealth of nations. They are the In&Out of societies. Since ancient times precious gold gifts ( money) were giving by the faithful to the GODS & deposited in TEMPLES. The Sons of God emperor/King/Priests would make coins with these metal donations.
The principal treasury of the Roman empire was held in the temple of Saturn. Religio Romana was LINKED with spending. Today we can see the same in ALL religious institutions which are tax exempt. The money to the Gods let's spend for they do not need it I say they are delusions of infected brains

[Whisper]

Philboid Studge wrote

The "religious identity priming instrument" sounds a bit oily.

The non-believers scored higher on SATs then all religious groups; I trust the authors accounted for that in their findings ...

THAN


*runs back to her sick-bed*

[Philboid Studge]

Nice ketch Whisper! (don't forget I was razed Catholic)

[Kate]

[calpurnpiso]

Kate wrote

Thanks for posting the Image of Jesus Christ shaving

[ubs]

We could be good scientists and question the integrity of researchers that don't disclose their own position or we could focus on the interesting clutching response that Catholics have when "primed."

I choose B.

[psychodiva]