The Daily Stat from Harvard Business Review

 

April 3, 2015 Thoughts of the Eternal Shape Our Attitudes Toward Risk Although past studies show that religious participation is associated with decreases in risky behaviors, thoughts of God appear to increase people’s willingness to take risks, says a team led by Daniella Kupor of Stanford. In one study, people who had been reminded of God were 13% more likely to say yes to looking at an “extremely bright color” that might damage their eyes in exchange for a small bonus payment. The effect appears to be based on the belief that God will protect against negative outcomes, the researchers say. SOURCE: Thinking of God Makes People Bigger Risk-Takers

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