Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

The death of children and adults reminds us that violence continues to be an unsolved problem in the US. Fox News  ( McKay ) reported the deaths of children in Chicago in a week-- 3 children shot dead. In the  CNN story, they report that on Father's Day weekend, 67 were shot and 11 killed. So far, there have been 268 murders in Chicago by mid-July, which is up 22% over last year. While several other crimes were average or lower, gun violence was up 33% from last year. In April, mass shootings were down 24% in the US, which reasonably appears linked to people staying home and many places being closed ( Bloomberg ). CBS reported that March was the first March without a school shooting in 18 years. Researchers can find data on injury deaths and homicides at healthypeople.gov T ips for staying safe from violent crime are available from the  National Crime Prevention Council. Protecting children - Save the Children Safe Schools NASSP Understanding work...

Religion & Health  Religion & Biopsychology Laura attends church but her sister Ashley does not. Who is likely to live longer? Jo announced her husband has been cancer free for two years! And she thanks God for healing in answer to prayer. Research suggests people who attend church live longer. And many offer testimonies of healing in response to prayer. Not surprisingly, the stories are enough to peak the interest of medical and psychological scientists. Is there more to faith than superstition? Are there measurable effects linked to religious or spiritual practices? I take a look at some of the evidence. And follow up on a previous post about prayer . We know there are some studies showing a relationship between biopsychology and spirituality. I like to use questions to carve out issues. 1. What biopsychological changes, if any, occur when people practice their faith? 2. What is the evidence for a link between spirituality and general health...

👉WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT "I have cried every single day since Matthew died…" Rick Warren story in Premier Christianity, 2016 September 17, 2013. In an emotional interview with Piers Morgan, Pastor Rick Warren and his wife, Kay responded to questions about their son’s suicide in April 2013. This post includes information on how this well known Christian leader and his wife coped with their son's suicide. Because he is a well-known Evangelical Pastor, I expect Rick Warren to turn to God for support. But I also expect him to be real. To show his emotions. To be one of us. And he was. And so was Kay. And it was clear that Kay and Rick supported each other. In my previous post I wrote about attributions.  Ironically, I referred to people with a purpose having no clue the author of T he Purpose Driven Life would offer a powerful story a week later. And not surprisingly, I found a mix of attributions as Rick and Kay spoke about the tragic suicide of their son. I ...

10 Reasons to Study the Psychology of Religion Most of the world’s 7-billion people are religious. And religious beliefs and rituals touch so many aspects of life. Regardless of a person’s religious or spiritual beliefs, here are 10 reasons I think all people should study the psychology of religion. 1. Birth . Most people are excited to welcome a baby into the world. Soon after the precious child arrives, the family gathers to celebrate the birth in a religious ceremony. The child may be christened, dedicated, or circumcised. Religious families make a commitment to care for the child and raise the child in their faith. 2. Death . People die and religious people gather to honor the dead in a religious ceremony. The living mourn their loved one but many look to the day when they will be reunited. People who were in pain are said to be better off in a realm beyond death where this is no pain. Friends and relatives of the deceased comfort the mourners with reminders t...