William Atkins
Monday, 13 April 2009 20:12
Science -
Biology
Page 2 of 3
In the second part of the experiment, the Danish researchers had the subjects say informal (improvised) prayers and, then, make informal (improvised) requests to Santa Claus (a fictitious figure associated with the religious holiday Christmas).
They stated,
“Distinct from formalized praying and secular controls, improvised praying activated a strong response in the temporopolar region, the medial prefrontal cortex, the temporo-parietal junction and precuneus.” [Abstract]
The researchers stated that when the people said the religious prayers certain patterns in the brain were activated that were the same as when people talk with other people in normal conversation.
This part of the brain is said to be associated with
“the theory of mind - an awareness that other individuals have their own independent motivations and intentions.” (See New Scientist article, later referenced).
According to the April 12, 2009
New Scientist article “
Praying to God is like talking to a friend,”
“Two of the activated regions are thought to process desire and consider how another individual - in this case God - might react. Also activated were part of the prefrontal cortex linked to the consideration of another person's intentions, and an area thought to help access memories of previous encounters with that person.”
What was different in brain patterns was in the prefrontal cortex part of the brain. This area was not active when the subjects were asked to make requests to Santa Claus. It was, however, activated when they prayed to God.
Such a difference implied to the researchers that the people view Santa Claus as fictitious but God as real.
Page three concludes.
