Study: Atheists more intelligent, but less empathetic than believers

Posted by | March 27, 2016 15:00 | Filed under: Religion


Would you rather be smart of have empathy?

A new study published in the online journal PLOS ONE has found that the conflict between science and religion is being fought by two opposing networks in the brain. By understanding just how these brain regions are duking it out may help to answer questions like, “Why are some people deeply religious while others think it is absurd to believe in the supernatural? Why do some choose to be creationists while others believe in evolution, despite observing much of the same evidence?“

The results of the study revealed, among other things, that while atheists seem to be more intelligent than religious people, they may be less emotionally astute and incapable of feeling as much empathy for others. This lack of empathy suggests that atheists have more in common with psychopaths than the spiritual, who, according to the authors, have a stronger sense of morality.

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By: Alan

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32 responses to Study: Atheists more intelligent, but less empathetic than believers

  1. tracey marie March 27th, 2016 at 15:15

    HMMMM, you mean the same theocrats that showe such empathy for GLBT, minorities and wimen?

    • Mensa Member March 27th, 2016 at 18:04

      Please remember that believers have led many of the social justice movements — like anti-slavery, women’s suffrage, and civil rights.

      And there are more pro-LGBT believers than you may be aware of. For example, my church has been doing gay weddings many years before any state made it legal.

      I’ve looked up the polls. Christian belief about the LGBT.etc issue pretty much mirrors the public in general. If you are a conservative Christian, you are probably against them. If you are a liberal Christian, you are probably fine with the gays.

      • tracey marie March 27th, 2016 at 20:09

        irrelevent to the situation happening right now, it is the theocrats who are calling for the killing of, the marginalization of and the hate towards GLBT. That is fact mensa.

        • Bunya March 27th, 2016 at 22:53

          I agree. Only theocracy can bring so much hatred and intolerance into human life. As John Lennon once said, “imagine there’s no heaven, nothing to kill or die for.”

      • Dwendt44 March 28th, 2016 at 00:05

        There were many free thinkers involved in those movements as well.

      • Lyndia March 28th, 2016 at 01:56

        Believers, were also slave holders, fought against suffrage and Civil Rights. (I am college educated, also.)

  2. larry d March 27th, 2016 at 15:21

    What U.S. state was this study done in, North or South Carolina?

  3. Mike March 27th, 2016 at 15:32

    “…the online journal PLOS ONE…”
    It’s an open access site where anyone can publish…also known as a scientific garbage can filled with trash…
    Kinda why this happens…
    http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21588057-scientists-think-science-self-correcting-alarming-degree-it-not-trouble

    • Dwendt44 March 28th, 2016 at 00:06

      The last sentence of the article comparing Atheists to psychopaths is insulting.

      • Mike March 28th, 2016 at 10:45

        It’s beyond insulting, it reeks of bias when researchers use those types of analogies. Presenting shaky data and findings are OK, going the extra mile and connecting the findings to a psychological disorder out the researcher for his/her predisposition.
        Junk science, IMO

    • Lyndia March 28th, 2016 at 01:54

      I am not a believer in the Christian god and I have more empathy for people, than MOST Christians do. Additionally, I have read research, that suggest the opposite.

      • Carla Akins March 28th, 2016 at 04:28

        Me too, many other studies.

      • Mike March 28th, 2016 at 10:35

        That’s why I posted that link.
        There are sites out there like PLOS ONE that are basically peer review mills where consenting scientists sign off on each other’s work…it’s complete bullsh!t and driven by a demand to publish something or become irrelevant.
        What we get is a lot of junk science with conflicting findings… 70% of experiments being published cannot be duplicated.
        As far as these “predisposition type studies” go, it’s obvious the complexity of the human psyche would present a myriad of conclusions that could never be summed up in a news article…JMO
        (also an atheist)

    • Homosexual March 28th, 2016 at 17:31

      Did this study have a sufficient number of Muslims?

      http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-overview/

      I strongly doubt atheists are less empathetic.

    • Homosexual March 28th, 2016 at 17:33

      Moreover, Muslims are not equally comfortable with all aspects of sharia: While most favor using religious law in family and property disputes, fewer support the application of severe punishments – such as whippings or cutting off hands – in criminal cases. The survey also shows that Muslims differ widely in how they interpret certain aspects of sharia, including whether divorce and family planning are morally acceptable.

      Is family planning acceptable? THAT’S LITERALLY the SAME exact conversation democrats and republicans have about planned parenthood.

  4. rg9rts March 27th, 2016 at 16:25

    ROTFLMAO….tolerant believers,,,,WHERE???

    • Mensa Member March 27th, 2016 at 17:50

      Surely you’ve heard of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela or the Dalai Lama.

      • rg9rts March 27th, 2016 at 20:13

        he’s gone

        • Dwendt44 March 28th, 2016 at 00:07

          They are all gone. except the Dalai Lama as a new one is selected as needed.

  5. Mensa Member March 27th, 2016 at 17:55

    I am college educated in both science and theology, so I’ve thought about this issue a lot.

    I am convinced that it does come down to the brain. Either you sense the presence of God (or whoever) or not.

    Some may call it an ability while others may call it a delusion but I don’t think anybody chooses it.

  6. robert March 27th, 2016 at 23:53

    if i could explain the story of god and jesus it would be and agreed upon one bible However the more intelligent thinks there should be 3 or more bibles out there

    • Dwendt44 March 28th, 2016 at 00:12

      Dozens of them really. Each ‘new’ bible spins, alters, revises and re-interpenetrates the stories. Some go to great lengths to cover up contradictions, errors, and embarrassing passages. the oldest copies of writings only goes back to the 4th century, so the authenticity is just guessed at.

      • robert March 28th, 2016 at 00:25

        its no surprise how today’s electronic world still cant write / agree upon one bible.

        hypocrisy indeed

    • fahvel March 28th, 2016 at 13:05

      huh??

  7. dewired4u March 28th, 2016 at 01:26

    “This lack of empathy suggests that atheists have more in common with
    psychopaths than the spiritual, who, according to the authors, have a
    stronger sense of morality.” I can’t remember the last time an atheist went on a killing spree or blew up a clinic or killed a doctor but I can think of many religious people who have. A psychopath is someone who peddles bullshit to gullible people and takes their money knowing their lies can hurt and feel no guilt. Empathy for stupid people I don’t have but do for many other things like kids.

    • Louise Michael March 28th, 2016 at 04:52

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    • fahvel March 28th, 2016 at 13:04

      multiple^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ for you D.

  8. fahvel March 28th, 2016 at 13:03

    blsht -the morality from religion is fear and the atheist lives in what some might call the real world where things are not always rosy.

  9. PattyJM March 28th, 2016 at 13:19

    Its hard to believe that anyone has less empathy than religious Republicans.

  10. Jodie March 28th, 2016 at 13:49

    How much empathy can someone have when they bash gay people, unmarried mothers, divorcees, etc…??? Personally, I believe in God, but not in the way Christians do at all.

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