Religious involvement correlates with improved health, longevity, and prosocial behavior

Evidence

In a recent survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion, 71% of Americans surveyed believe in the absolute certainty of God, 82% say religion is at least somewhat important in their lives, and 53% attend religious services on at least a monthly basis (Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 2008). Religion is a powerful force in the personal, social, and political lives of a significant portion of the population of the United States and the world. Religion has a positive impact on members and within group interactions. Members of a religious community in comparison with nonmembers have an increased sense of psychological well-being, as well as improved health and longevity (McCullough & Willoughby, 2009). Cooperation within large religious communities increases, and in individuals with higher levels of religiosity, who are reminded of an omnipresent God, trust and other prosocial behaviors also increase (Norenzayan & Shariff, 2008). — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 887

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s existing interest in social capital (Coleman) and pro-sociality research; Norenzayan & Shariff’s ‘Big Gods’ work is a natural corridor. — connects to: Social connectedness affects health as strongly as smoking, obesity, and hypertension do — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1129; Belief that God and community have one’s back builds lifelong resiliency — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 216