Religions advocate empathy and generosity. However, according to an American study, believing children are no more altruistic than others.
Sister Emmanuelle, Abbé Pierre, Mother Teresa, are all names that inspire us with compassion for our neighbour. During their life, these religious never ceased to call on people to show generosity with the poorest. From what can one conclude that religion makes one altruistic?
Not so sure, because an American study published in “ Current Biology » shows that children raised in non-religious families are more sensitive to injustice than their fellow believers.
Relayed by The world, this research was carried out in six countries (Canada, China, Jordan, Turkey, United States and South Africa) with 1,170 children aged 5 to 12 years. The work was financed by the American John Templeton Foundation, a Christian-inspired organization which, as the daily recalls, awarded its prize in 2007 to the philosopher Charles Taylor for whom a secular society is not able to satisfy the quest meaningful human.
Less generous
Scientists at the University of Chicago have based their work on a derivative of ” dictator game “. They asked the children to choose 10 stickers out of 30, telling them that not everyone would have them. They then asked them if they were ready to offer some to those who had not been able to get some.
As a result, the little atheists have shown themselves to be much more generous than their religious comrades (Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, etc.). And, among the latter, the stronger the religious practice, the smaller the donations. Quite the opposite of what the parents interviewed thought of their child.
The result observed was identical “whatever the culture, and therefore the religion”, specifies John Decety, lead author of the study.
Finally, community solidarity does not seem to exist among the youngest, since in these tests, the donations they had to make were intended for a child from the same school as them and therefore of the same obedience.
harsher judgment
Finally, the last conclusion of this work is still not to the advantage of small believers. The latter would also be more severe in terms of punishments. The researchers asked the children to watch a video of young people tripping others. The little ones then had to graduate the wickedness of these individuals and the punishments they deserved. Every time, the children brought up in the religion proposed more severe punishments.
In his conclusions, Jean Decety believes that the observations made for the study “question the fact that religion is vital for moral development, and support the idea that the secularization of moral discourse will not diminish human goodness”. . It’s up to everyone to make their own religion!
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