People are not drawn to religion just because of a fear of death or any other single reason, according to a new comprehensive, psychological theory of religion.
There are actually 16 basic human psychological needs that motivate people to seek meaning through religion, said Steven Reiss, author of the new theory and professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University.
Reiss said that each of the 16 basic desires outlined in the book influence the psychological appeal of religious behavior. The desires are power, independence, curiosity, acceptance, order, saving, honor, idealism, social contact, family, status, vengeance, romance, eating, physical exercise, and tranquility.
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2 Comments to
“New Theory Suggests People Are Attracted To Religion For 16 Reasons”
Prof. Reiss’s paper is available for download from his webpage
apologies — in my earlier comment I did not use the correct syntax to give the download link for Prof. Reiss’s paper. It is http://nisonger.osu.edu/papers/reiss_2004.pdf
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 27 May 2004
