David DeSteno

Religious rituals facilitate moral accountability in a way that is rare in secular society. Without religion “there’s no real, formalized way to do it,” said David DeSteno, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University.

By David DeSteno. Dr. DeSteno is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University and the host of the podcast “How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality.”

David DeSteno is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University and host of the PRX Podcast “How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality.”

Article by David DeSteno, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University and host of the podcast “How God Works.”

Afterward, when they were asked to help a stranger, 69% of people in the first group agreed, compared with only 40% in the second group. Compassion—which Buddhist meditation magnifies—makes people kinder and less likely to seek revenge. In another experiment, my lab at Northeastern University found that people who had meditated for 8 weeks were […]

As David DeSteno, professor of psychology at Northeastern University, notes, in his book How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion, these types of synchronizing actions appear in many religions – from the chanting of Buddhists and Hindus to the kneeling of Christians and Muslims to the swaying of Jews during prayer. 

For this newsletter I interviewed David DeSteno, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University (about 35 miles from where the Pilgrims landed), who is one of the leading authorities on the social effects of gratitude.

DeSteno, a psychology professor at Northeastern University, also argues people don’t need to be religious to benefit from the wisdom that traditions have to offer. On his new podcast, he interviews clergy members and authors such as the Rev. James Martin, Sharon Salzberg and Michael Pollan as he seeks to reduce the boundaries between science and […]