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Line 84: − − == Brain study: Religious belief vs. non-belief - Anxiety/stress reduction == − − ''See also:'' [[Atheism and the brain]] and [[Atheism and anxiety]] and [[Atheism and brain function]] − − According to the leading science news website Phys.org: − {{cquote|Believing in God can help block anxiety and minimize stress, according to new University of Toronto research that shows distinct brain differences between believers and non-believers. − − In two studies led by Assistant Psychology Professor Michael Inzlicht, participants performed a Stroop task - a well-known test of cognitive control - while hooked up to electrodes that measured their brain activity. − − Compared to non-believers, the religious participants showed significantly less activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a portion of the brain that helps modify behavior by signaling when attention and control are needed, usually as a result of some anxiety-producing event like making a mistake. The stronger their religious zeal and the more they believed in God, the less their ACC fired in response to their own errors, and the fewer errors they made... − − Their findings show religious belief has a calming effect on its devotees, which makes them less likely to feel anxious about making errors or facing the unknown.<ref>[http://phys.org/news/2009-03-brain-differences-believers-non-believers.html Researchers find brain differences between believers and non-believers], Phys.org, March 4, 2009</ref>}}
→Brain study: Religious belief vs. non-belief - Anxiety/stress reduction
*[[Atheist fear of conservative Christians#Prominent atheists being afraid/reluctant to debate conservative Christians|Prominent atheists being afraid/reluctant to debate conservative Christians]]
*[[Atheist fear of conservative Christians#Prominent atheists being afraid/reluctant to debate conservative Christians|Prominent atheists being afraid/reluctant to debate conservative Christians]]
== Richard Dawkins ==
== Richard Dawkins ==