A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions
The neuroscience of religion (NoR), a field that studies various neural mechanisms and functions alongside their correlational relationships with religious phenomena, holds immense potential for development. Standard research methods, including brain imaging techniques and lesion studies, establish...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1587794/full |
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| author | Harrison M. Carvour Harrison M. Carvour Anna K. Radke Nathan S. French |
| author_facet | Harrison M. Carvour Harrison M. Carvour Anna K. Radke Nathan S. French |
| author_sort | Harrison M. Carvour |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The neuroscience of religion (NoR), a field that studies various neural mechanisms and functions alongside their correlational relationships with religious phenomena, holds immense potential for development. Standard research methods, including brain imaging techniques and lesion studies, establish relationships between brain functions and religious practices, beliefs, and experiences. Despite increasing interest in this field since the start of the century, NoR has many limitations regarding the technology presently used, particularly in investigating specific aspects of religious behaviors regarding ritualized movements. However, using technologies not presently used in the field, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), along with applying other religious theories, could allow researchers to examine other behaviors, expand their understanding of religion, and bypass current limitations. Therefore, this review paper critically examines NoR, including discussions on methodologies and conclusions from the field, the application of theories of religion currently used, limitations of research methods, the potential incorporation of other theories of religion in the future, and the utilization of other technologies not presently employed in the field, possibly opening new avenues for inquiry and analysis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb5f8f8a86304cada75a72424b2b8a3f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb5f8f8a86304cada75a72424b2b8a3f2025-08-20T03:47:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2025-08-011910.3389/fnins.2025.15877941587794A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventionsHarrison M. Carvour0Harrison M. Carvour1Anna K. Radke2Nathan S. French3Department of Psychology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United StatesDepartment of Comparative Religion, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United StatesDepartment of Comparative Religion, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United StatesThe neuroscience of religion (NoR), a field that studies various neural mechanisms and functions alongside their correlational relationships with religious phenomena, holds immense potential for development. Standard research methods, including brain imaging techniques and lesion studies, establish relationships between brain functions and religious practices, beliefs, and experiences. Despite increasing interest in this field since the start of the century, NoR has many limitations regarding the technology presently used, particularly in investigating specific aspects of religious behaviors regarding ritualized movements. However, using technologies not presently used in the field, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), along with applying other religious theories, could allow researchers to examine other behaviors, expand their understanding of religion, and bypass current limitations. Therefore, this review paper critically examines NoR, including discussions on methodologies and conclusions from the field, the application of theories of religion currently used, limitations of research methods, the potential incorporation of other theories of religion in the future, and the utilization of other technologies not presently employed in the field, possibly opening new avenues for inquiry and analysis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1587794/fullneuroscience of religionbrain imagingtraumatic brain injurypharmacologyreligious phenomenareligious theory |
| spellingShingle | Harrison M. Carvour Harrison M. Carvour Anna K. Radke Nathan S. French A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions Frontiers in Neuroscience neuroscience of religion brain imaging traumatic brain injury pharmacology religious phenomena religious theory |
| title | A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions |
| title_full | A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions |
| title_fullStr | A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions |
| title_full_unstemmed | A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions |
| title_short | A review of the neuroscience of religion: an overview of the field, its limitations, and future interventions |
| title_sort | review of the neuroscience of religion an overview of the field its limitations and future interventions |
| topic | neuroscience of religion brain imaging traumatic brain injury pharmacology religious phenomena religious theory |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1587794/full |
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