Social Psych & Religion Postdoc & PhD opportunity

An outstanding opportunity from Dr. Vassilis Saroglou: Social psychological research on positive emotions and spirituality: Two research positions at the University of Louvain Two research positions, one for a Postdoc and the other for a Ph. D. student, in the (social) psychology of positive emotions and religion/spirituality are open at the University of Louvain, Department of Psychology, Centre for Psychology of Religion (www.uclouvain/psyreli). The positions are full time, last two years, start from October/November 2012, and imply working in Louvain-la-Neuve (University’s town). The research focuses on the understanding of the emotion of awe, comparatively to other emotions, and implications of awe for spirituality and related individual and social outcomes (humility and prosociality). It implies the use of experimental methodology typical of social psychology and psychology of emotions. The project is funded by a John Templeton Foundation grant. The monthly net is about 1,600 euros (PhD student) and 2,100 euros (Postdoc) and the fellowships additionally include social security. Publications in international journals are a prerequisite for the postdoc position applications. French is welcomed but not indispensable. Applications (CV and letter of motivation) are to be sent to Prof. Vassilis Saroglou (vassilis.saroglou /at/ uclouvain.be) by September 30, 2012. You can use the same email address for more information.

End of World Predicted. Again.

Yes, another group is waiting for the end of the world. Harold Camping, founder of Family Radio, and his followers expect the world to end May 21st, two weeks from today. This story from NPR notes that Camping predicted the end September 6, 1994, but as you and I can tell, he was mistaken. Camping explains it by saying that he hadn't taken into account the message in the book of Jeremiah. It seems to me, however, that he hasn't taken into account the Book of Festinger, Reicken & Schachter.

Join me with popcorn in hand as we wait two weeks for another demonstration of cognitive dissonance.

Luke Galen on Religious Attitudes & Behavior

The link between attitudes and behavior has long fascinated social psychologists, who wonder how it is that people sometimes say one thing while doing another. For an application of this to religious attitudes and behavior, read this Grand Rapids Press story summarizing Luke Galen's research on the correspondence between attitudes and behaviors among religious fundamentalists.

Psychology of Religion at Cambridge

The MPhil program in social and developmental psychology at Cambridge University offers the opportunity to study the psychology of religion. Applications are being accepted through the end of June. Nicholas Gibson is on the faculty and invites prospective students to apply.

Scott Atran's Understanding of Terrorism

Anthropologist Scot Atran offers some insight into how it is that the privileged become terrorists. He posted his comments nearly 3 weeks ago, so you may already have seen the column. If not, drop by to read what his ideas are on the topic.

Sociologists "Get Religion"

An interesting report on one of our sister disciplines is found in the story Sociologists Get Religion in today's Inside Higher Ed. It describes sociologists as becoming more interested in studying religion, and using it in more significant ways in accounting for phenomena. It is worth your time to read.

Religion's Place in History

The study of religion in history is on the rise according to a report issued by the AHA. Nearly 40% of AHA graduate students, assistant- and associate-professors surveyed indicated that religion was one of the three most important areas of their work. Most other areas of study in history showed a decline in importance since 1992, the first date that data were collected; only religion, African-American, and cultural history showed increases.

I am not aware of comparable data in other disciplines, but the extent to which religion may be part of academic study deserves our attention. Like psychology more generally, the psychology of religion has natural connections to disciplines across the academic spectrum, from biology to sociology. Of course, the role of religion in psychology itself has been an important area of interest to psychologists of religion, who often see religion's place in psychology as being under-appreciated. One good example of this is Michael Donahue's work documenting religion's neglect in social psychology. You can download his 2005 article on this subject, Disregarding (and disrespecting?) religion in social psychology: The case
of the 1998 Handbook of Social Psychology from his site. It makes for interesting reading, whether your focus is social psychology or another aspect of psychology.

Moral Reasoning on TED

"People may not be logical, but few of them are crazy.... When it comes to moral persuasion, the way to the head is through the heart." Jonathan Haidt has a lot to teach us about social judgment, with implications for religion/morality. Read about it on TED. His discussion is focused on health care, but seems relevant to many other areas.

Call for Papers: The Social Psychology of Religion

Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology

Special Issue: Call for Papers
The Social Psychology of Religion: The State of the Art

Editors: Adrian Coyle & Evanthia Lyons

In the Western world in recent years, concerns about the (potential and actual) social and political implications of the rise of 'fundamentalist Islam' have seen a range of questions being raised and culturally debated concerning the social risk/value of Islam in particular and religion in general and its role within the state. These debates have often become polarised, with anti-religious definitive positions attracting considerable attention. Some of the questions raised in these debates invoke standard social psychological concerns such as identity, group processes and intergroup relations, with a focus on trying to understand what fosters pro-social and anti-social behaviours that appear to be motivated and justified by religion. These questions have been studied by scholars within social psychology and within the psychology and sociology of religion, even if the complexity of the issues identified in this research has not always been reflected in cultural debates. It therefore seems an opportune time to review the substantive foci, the theoretical and methodological approaches and the achievements of social psychological work on religion. This constitutes the primary aim of the proposed special issue - to offer a 'state of the art' appraisal of the area and to use this as a basis for identifying possibly fruitful future directions. In addition, it will consider what contributions the social psychology of religion can make towards cultural debates on and social policy and practice related to religion and religious communities and towards social psychology generally.

We invite submissions in the form of critical reviews of theory and empirical work or original reports of research relevant to the special issue's focal themes:

(1) religion as ideology (and its correlates)

(2) religion as identity and implications for inter-group relations

(3) religious practices and their social and psychological implications

(4) religions as social movements

We are also open to work on other relevant topics. Empirical (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods) work should aim to obtain social psychological insight into the particularity of religion or to test social psychological theory in religious contexts. The special issue adopts an inclusive perspective on what constitutes 'the social psychology of religion'. Submissions are welcome not only from social psychology but also from the psychology of religion, political psychology, (the) sociology (of religion), anthropology, religious studies and other relevant domains.

To allow maximum efficiency in the review process, those interested in submitting a paper are asked to submit an outline abstract (no more than 250 words) by December 4th 2009. The editors of the special issue, in consultation with other researchers or practitioners where necessary, will review the abstracts in terms of their suitability and relevance to the themes of the special issue. Once selected, the deadline for submission of full papers is February 26th 2010 with a view to publication by the end of 2010. All full papers (no more than 7000 words including references and tables) will be subject to the usual process of peer review. Abstracts should be submitted electronically as a Word document to A.Coyle [at] surrey.ac.uk Please note that all submissions should
be in the house style of the Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. For information for authors, please see:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5625/home/ForAuthors.html

SPSP Religion Pre-Conference

Wade Rowatt is organizing a religion pre-conference to coincide with the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Conference to be held Thursday, February 5th, in Tampa, Florida. Hurry if you are interested in presenting at the pre-conference, as space is limited. The list of invited presenters is first-rate: Adam Cohen, Julie Exline, Nicholas Gibson, Peter Hill, Mike McCullough, David Myers, Crystal Park, and Constantine Sedikides. It should be a treat!

Journal of Religion & Society

If your interests are in the area of religion's social effects, you might want to look at the Journal of Religion and Society, a free, online journal. The current issue deals with such things as religion & war, terrorism, and racial attitudes.

Religion Pre-Conference at SPSP

Wade Rowatt, Robert Emmons, Julie Exline and Jo-Ann Tsang are proposing a psychology of religion pre-conference at the 2009 meeting of the The Society for Personality and Social Psychology in Tampa, Florida. Contact Wade soon in order to be part of this proposal.