Belief in hell predicts economic productivity independent of general religiosity

Evidence

Shariff and Rhemtulla, 2012. See also McCleary and Barro, 2006, for evidence that, even though religiosity declines with greater economic development, belief in hell in particular is associated with greater economic productivity. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 716

Categorization

• DEFINE: This sorts belief in ‘watchful, punitive deity’ (hell) apart from mere religiosity — the fear-of-punishment channel, not love-of-god.