scholarly journals Advancing the Cognitive Science of Religion through Replication and Open Science

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Hoogeveen ◽  
Michiel van Elk
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cognitive Science Of Religion ◽  
Science Practices ◽  
Replication Studies ◽  
Replication Research ◽  
Science Of Religion

The Cognitive Science of Religion (CSR) is a relatively young but prolific field that has offered compelling insights into religious minds and practices. However, many empirical findings within this field are still preliminary and their reliability remains to be determined. In this paper, we first argue that it is crucial to critically evaluate the CSR literature and adopt open science practices and replication research in particular to move the field forward. Second, we highlight the outcomes of previous replications and make suggestions for future replication studies in the CSR, with a particular focus on neuroscience, developmental psychology, and qualitative research. Finally, we provide a ‘replication script’ with advice on how to select, conduct, and organize replication research. Our approach is illustrated with a ‘glimpse behind the scenes’ of the recently launched Cross-Cultural Religious Replication Project, in the hope of inspiring scholars of religion to embrace open science and replication in their own research.

Promoting the Benefits and clarifying misconceptions about Preregistration, Preprints, and Open Science for Cognitive Science of Religion.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Michael Kavanagh ◽  
Rohan Kapitány
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Cognitive Science Of Religion ◽  
Common Practices ◽  
Science Of Religion

Adopting newly proposed ‘open science’ reforms to improve transparency and increase rigor is hard and can make us, as researchers, feel vulnerable. Nonetheless, these reforms are vital to improving the overall quality and confidence of our collective research. We have, through our own experiences, found that preregistration and detailed analysis plans can help to identify, and potentially avoid, errors. Prepublication has similarly helped us to collaborate and receive feedback on manuscripts, particularly during prolonged periods of peer-review. The Cognitive Science of Religion (CSR) field is constituted by a diversity of scholars and disciplines, and thus faces somewhat unique challenges in its efforts to establish common practices, standards, and research terminology. In this paper we offer an introduction to the open science reforms of preregistration and prepublication specifically orientated towards the CSR field. We discuss common concerns around these practices, highlighting areas of misunderstanding while conceding and discussing genuine limitations. We conclude with voluntary, low-investment recommendations for best-practices with regards preregistration and preprints for the field of the Cognitive Science of Religion.

The Argument from Positive Epistemic Status

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin L. Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Proper Function ◽  
Epistemic Status ◽  
Cognitive Science Of Religion ◽  
Proper Functioning ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Science Of Religion

Plantinga’s suggested argument for God from positive epistemic status takes as its starting point that many of our beliefs have positive epistemic status and that such positive status is best thought of as derived from our belief-forming faculties functioning properly in an appropriate environment. Plantinga suggests that this proper function is best understood in terms of a designer having engineered these faculties for particular purposes, the best candidate for this designer being God. A ready objection is that the needed “proper” functioning could be derived from evolution and, so, God is not obviously the best candidate for being the “designer.” This essay evaluates versions of this objection in reference to recent scientific research from cognitive developmental psychology and cognitive science of religion.

Who Wants to Live Forever?

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire White
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognition ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cognitive Science Of Religion ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Science Of Religion ◽  
Basic Ideas

Abstract Around 30% of world cultures endorse reincarnation and 20% of contemporary Americans think that reincarnation is plausible. This paper addresses the question of why belief in reincarnation is so pervasive across geographically disparate contexts. While social scientists have provided compelling explanations of the particularistic aspects of reincarnation, less is known about the psychological foundations of such beliefs. In this paper, I review research in the cognitive science of religion to propose that selected panhuman cognitive tendencies contribute to the cross-cultural success of basic ideas in reincarnation. Together, this research suggests that extraordinary convictions, including those associated with postmortem survival, are underpinned by some of the same processes that govern mundane social cognition.

scholarly journals Learning Open Science by doing Open Science. A reflection of a qualitative research project-based seminar

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-279
Author(s):  
Isabel Steinhardt
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Open Data ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Science Practices ◽  
Bachelor's Degrees ◽  
Participatory Technologies ◽  
Digital Knowledge

Openness in science and education is increasing in importance within the digital knowledge society. So far, less attention has been paid to teaching Open Science in bachelor’s degrees or in qualitative methods. Therefore, the aim of this article is to use a seminar example to explore what Open Science practices can be taught in qualitative research and how digital tools can be involved. The seminar focused on the following practices: Open data practices, the practice of using the free and open source tool “Collaborative online Interpretation, the practice of participating, cooperating, collaborating and contributing through participatory technologies and in social (based) networks. To learn Open Science practices, the students were involved in a qualitative research project about “Use of digital technologies for the study and habitus of students”. The study shows the practices of Open Data are easy to teach, whereas the use of free and open source tools and participatory technologies for collaboration, participation, cooperation and contribution is more difficult. In addition, a cultural shift would have to take place within German universities to promote Open Science practices in general.

Did a Little Birdie Really Tell Odin? Applying Theory of Mind to Old Norse Religion

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 280-308
Author(s):  
Declan Taggart
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Old Norse ◽  
Viking Age ◽  
Cognitive Science Of Religion ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Science Of Religion ◽  
Religious Theory ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Theory of mind, the theory that humans attribute mental states to others, has become increasingly influential in the Cognitive Science of Religion in recent years, due to several papers which posit that supernatural agents, like gods, demons, and the dead, are accredited greater than normal knowledge and awareness. Using Old Norse mythology and literary accounts of Old Norse religion, supported by archaeological evidence, I examine the extent to which this modern perspective on religious theory of mind is reflected in religious traditions from the Viking Age. I focus especially on the extent to which superperception and superknowledge were attributed to Old Norse supernatural agents and the impact of this on expressions of religion; how the attribution of theory of mind varied with circumstances and the agents to which it was being attributed; and the extent to which features of religious theory of mind common in other societies were present in the historical North. On this basis, I also evaluate the usefulness of Old Norse historiography to Cognitive Science of Religion and vice versa.

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