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Meus Renaissance · Dec 10, 2011

A new study finds that atheists are among societys most distrusted group, comparable even to rapists in certain circumstances. Psychologists at the University of British Columbia and the University of Oregon say that their study demonstrates that anti-atheist prejudice stems from moral distrust, not dislike, of nonbelievers.

Its pretty remarkable, said Azim Shariff, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon and a co-author of the study, which appears in the current issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher? The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher.

The study is part of an attempt to understand what needs religion fulfills in people. Among the conclusions is a sense of trust in others "People find atheists very suspect," Shariff said. "They don't fear God so we should distrust them; they do not have the same moral obligations of others. This is a common refrain against atheists. People fear them as a group." Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice. "If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

Source

Forever · Dec 10, 2011

I'd say I distrust priests as much as rapists, except so many of them are one and the same.

CornBurrito · Dec 10, 2011

Well we have to eat at least one Christian baby a day in order to join the cult, so that level of distrust makes sense.

AceBandage · Dec 10, 2011

Obsessed said:
Well we have to eat at least one Christian baby a day in order to join the cult, so that level of distrust makes sense.

One a day?
How do you live on such a meager meal?

crazy monkey · Dec 10, 2011

Forever said:
I'd say I distrust priests as much as rapists, except so many of them are one and the same.

Obsessed said:
Well we have to eat at least one Christian baby a day in order to join the cult, so that level of distrust makes sense.

from article:

Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice.
"If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

Starfish_Oxide · Dec 10, 2011

Damn rapists will be mad to be on the same level as atheists

Air · Dec 10, 2011

Jason Raize '75 - '04 said:
A new study finds that atheists are among society’s most distrusted group, comparable even to rapists in certain circumstances. Psychologists at the University of British Columbia and the University of Oregon say that their study demonstrates that anti-atheist prejudice stems from moral distrust, not dislike, of nonbelievers.

“It’s pretty remarkable,” said Azim Shariff, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon and a co-author of the study, which appears in the current issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher? The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher.

The study is part of an attempt to understand what needs religion fulfills in people. Among the conclusions is a sense of trust in others "People find atheists very suspect," Shariff said. "They don't fear God so we should distrust them; they do not have the same moral obligations of others. This is a common refrain against atheists. People fear them as a group." Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice. "If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

Source

Interesting that nonreligious people also voted the same as religious people. Due to my background, and being exposed to different people, I can see atheist's the same as anybody else, but the recent new movement has not done much to help their image. Its similar to the fundamentalist Christian problem, except that Christianity has been around so long that most people know that Fundamentalism is not all it offers. Unfortunately for many Atheists, the movement is fairly new, and goes against the grain in almost all aspects, and many people are not doing a good job in dispelling all the drama associated with atheism.

CornBurrito · Dec 10, 2011

crazy monkey said:
from article:

Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice.
"If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

Your point?

Starfish_Oxide said:
Damn rapists will be mad to be on the same level as atheists

Maybe the people answering the polls assumed the atheist had already raped dozens of people. There's nothing holding atheists back.

Stephen Colbert · Dec 10, 2011

"The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher? The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher."

What a ridiculous question. LMAO at the choices.

There are a lot more atheist teachers than rapist teachers out there. So yes, they would in fact be more likely be an atheist teacher. Hell, I would pick the atheist teacher over the rapist teacher too.

Qwomo · Dec 10, 2011

A year ago, as an atheist, I'd find this wildly offensive and dumb. But then I stumbled across r/atheism and everything changed.

Although I guess "untrustworthy" is a bit of a weird stretch.

edit: Yeah that sounds like a dumb survey question.

markot · Dec 10, 2011

The question seems rather.... what?

Juicy Bob · Dec 10, 2011

I hate his 'Atheists vs Believers' mentality that the internet seems to be trying to perpetuate at every opportunity. I'm an atheist and as long as you're a decent, kind person, I honestly don't care what religion you are - it's none of my business what you believe.

EDIT:

Qwomo said:
A year ago, as an atheist, I'd find this wildly offensive and dumb. But then I stumbled across r/atheism and everything changed.

Urgh. Reddit atheists annoy me more than most religious people to be honest.

Atrus · Dec 10, 2011

So basically in a comparison between teachers and priests, Atheists were the most distrusted ones?

Not much of a surprise really.

spermatic cord · Dec 10, 2011

Forever · Dec 10, 2011

crazy monkey said:
from article:

Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice.
"If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

No you're right, I see your point. I should definitely work on raping less children so that I can undermine your prejudice.

sans_pants · Dec 10, 2011

Juicy Bob said:
I hate his 'Atheists vs Believers' mentality that the internet seems to be trying to perpetuate at every opportunity. I'm an atheist and as long as you're a decent, kind person, I honestly don't care what religion you are - it's none of my business what you believe.

believers do not feel the same way as you

Ela Hadrun · Dec 10, 2011

Well, not by me they're not.

(Study of less than a thousand people from only two places etc etc etc etc.
And what kind of choices are "a teacher," "an athiest teacher," "a rapist teacher"?)

DarkKyo · Dec 10, 2011

I'd wager there are a lot more religious people you can't trust than there are atheists.. you know-- cause atheists probably have a bit more sense in their brains.

Kurtofan · Dec 10, 2011

Stephen Colbert said:
"The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher? The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher."

What a ridiculous question. LMAO at the choices.

There are a lot more atheist teachers than rapist teachers out there. So yes, they would in fact be more likely be an atheist teacher. Hell, I would pick the atheist teacher over the rapist teacher too.

I would pick "a teacher" since this sounds like a sure answer, I mean I don't if he's atheist or something else but I know he's a teacher.

PK Gaming · Dec 10, 2011

Saw this in the Atheist vs Theist's thread. Still fucking hilarious.

At this point, its pretty much a second nature for me to pretend i'm a theist in front of certain types of people. There's no point in picking a fight everywhere I go.

AceBandage · Dec 10, 2011

Dechaios said:
I'd wager there are a lot more religious people you can't trust than there are atheists.. you know-- cause atheists probably have a bit more sense in their brains.

And away we go!

Alpha-Bromega · Dec 10, 2011

Only in America - and Saudi Arabia

what a world

truly101 · Dec 10, 2011

I wouldn't think twice about someone not believing in my invisible sky wizard. Besides, most rapers worship Ravisheon, the god of rape. They're always trying to get me to convert when they pound me in the ass.

SmokeMaxX · Dec 10, 2011

Stephen Colbert said:
"The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher? The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher."

What a ridiculous question. LMAO at the choices.

There are a lot more atheist teachers than rapist teachers out there. So yes, they would in fact be more likely be an atheist teacher. Hell, I would pick the atheist teacher over the rapist teacher too.

What ELSE would you put there?
Question: Which one of these is socially discouraged but not morally reprehensible?
Answers: A) Teacher (Positive Social Value) B) Atheist (Slightly Negative Social Value) C) Rapist (Extremely Negative Social Value)
Most Popular Answer: Atheist
Conclusions: PEOPLE HATE ATHEISTS MORE THAN RAPISTS!

Results don't match with conclusions <_<

Alligatorjandro · Dec 10, 2011

I dont trust anyone.

Chopper Dave · Dec 10, 2011

Jason Raize '75 - '04 said:
The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher?

"Damn rapist, learn to drive! oh and stop raping!"
*shakes fist*

teh_pwn · Dec 10, 2011

crazy monkey said:
Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice.
"If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

That's not the way that religious people that hate atheists think. They don't take positions based on evidence, but gut feeling. If this weren't true, the Catholic church would be hated just as much.

Trent Strong · Dec 10, 2011

What a weird question. Social psychologists create some of the most poorly made studies. That said, a lot of people really do have the nonsensical belief that if you're an atheist then you must be amoral.

Socreges · Dec 10, 2011

Jason Raize '75 - '04 said:
A new study finds that atheists are among society’s most distrusted group, comparable even to rapists in certain circumstances. Psychologists at the University of British Columbia and the University of Oregon say that their study demonstrates that anti-atheist prejudice stems from moral distrust, not dislike, of nonbelievers.

“It’s pretty remarkable,” said Azim Shariff, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon and a co-author of the study, which appears in the current issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher? The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher.

The study is part of an attempt to understand what needs religion fulfills in people. Among the conclusions is a sense of trust in others "People find atheists very suspect," Shariff said. "They don't fear God so we should distrust them; they do not have the same moral obligations of others. This is a common refrain against atheists. People fear them as a group." Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice. "If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

Source

Waaaait a second. Does this take into account that you'd also have to consider that atheist teachers are much more likely to be in the population than rapist teachers?

What a horrible question. If the people behind the study aren't responsible enough to realize the actual implications, then no wonder the media is thoughtlessly disseminating it.

ProudClod · Dec 10, 2011

spermatic cord said:

A little African child dying of thirst and hunger. "If he doesn't matter to god, do you?"

Dan · Dec 10, 2011

spermatic cord said:

Wow.

(._.) · Dec 10, 2011

they are mad and distraught because they are going to hell

Salazar · Dec 10, 2011

Air said:
Interesting that nonreligious people also voted the same as religious people. Due to my background, and being exposed to different people, I can see atheist's the same as anybody else, but the recent new movement has not done much to help their image.

I'm fine with a bit of belligerent rationalism in dealing with superstitious garbage. If someone takes an argumentative posture as a stable indication of someone's mentality or personality in general—and not just of that person, but of a miscellany of folks linked solely by one tendency of belief—then their opinion as a judge of character (as well as of much else) is essentially worthless.

To interact with the whole notion of putting a moral brand name on large groups of people and acting like it is a good idea to trust or reject it is playing religion's shitty games.

rCIZZLE · Dec 10, 2011

As an atheist I can see why we're hated on so much. Almost everywhere you go on the internet you'll find "enlightened" atheists with their PROVE YOUR GOD EXISTS nonsense.

Ela Hadrun · Dec 10, 2011

sans_pants said:
believers do not feel the same way as you

Give me a break. Not of all us are hostile to people with different beliefs. Plenty of believers, like myself, have a deep respect for and love of science, and understand that nearly all athiests share that with us.

Saying that all believers disrespect atheists is a great way to build walls. Why don't we all agree that people who think atheists are criminals are idiots.

I am still trying to figure out what this idiotic question is supposed to determine, and ESPECIALLY what this idiotic question is supposed to CONTROL for. If you are testing atheist vs rapist likelihood of stealing, why is the unmarked "teacher" there? And how does this measure "trust" in some universal way?

"Who do you think is more likely to intentionally lie to you? A teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher?" I think we'd all know the answer to THAT one.

"A priest, an atheist priest, or a rapist priest" kind of changes the matrix of the question as the atheist priest would probably have to lie MORE OFTEN, but...

electroshockwave · Dec 10, 2011

Socreges said:
Waaaait a second. Does this take into account that you'd also have to consider that atheist teachers are much more likely to be in the population than rapist teachers?

If it was based on that then they would have just said "teachers".

Trent Strong · Dec 10, 2011

Alpha-Bromega said:
Only in America - and Saudi Arabia

what a world

"420 Canadian college students".

Zaptruder · Dec 10, 2011

Trent Strong said:
What a weird question. Social psychologists create some of the most poorly made studies. That said, a lot of people really do have the nonsensical belief that if you're an atheist then you must be amoral.

Well look at it this way... if you didn't need to believe in God to be good, then what's the fucking point?

There is no point of course - but it's just one of the many strange things that believers latch onto to quell their cognitive dissonance that naturally emerges trying to jam the square shape of 2000+ year old morality into the round hole of the modern era.

Bananakin · Dec 10, 2011

Aside from being a perfect demonstration of the conjunction fallacy, this study seems like a pretty shitty way of determining the level of distrust of atheists. As other people pointed out, there's way more atheists than rapists around. It's more likely that anything done to you, good or bad, will have been done by a atheist (with the exception of rape, of course).

Air · Dec 10, 2011

Salazar said:
I'm fine with a bit of belligerent rationalism in dealing with superstitious garbage. If someone takes an argumentative posture as a stable indication of someone's mentality or personality in general—and not just of that person, but of a miscellany of folks linked solely by one tendency of belief—then their opinion as a judge of character (as well as of much else) is essentially worthless.

The problem is you don't need to be belligerent to get the point across. There are a ton of different ways you can go about arguing with people, but the way many atheists (online, because I've rarely come across this kind in real life) argue to people does not help the that cause.

What sucks about this is that a lot of the problems atheists see are valid, and I agree with many of their beefs on a fundamental level, but so many go on about these problems in the worst ways possible. The bar for good discussion can be raised so much without that belligerent attitude.

SolKane · Dec 10, 2011

Kurtofan said:
I would pick "a teacher" since this sounds like a sure answer, I mean I don't if he's atheist or something else but I know he's a teacher.

It's the correct answer because it's more statistically likely.

Arment · Dec 10, 2011

Edit: Wrong thread bleh.

sans_pants · Dec 10, 2011

Ela Hadrun said:
Give me a break. Not of all us are hostile to people with different beliefs. Plenty of believers, like myself, have a deep respect for and love of science, and understand that nearly all athiests share that with us.

Saying that all believers disrespect atheists is a great way to build walls. Why don't we all agree that people who think atheists are criminals are idiots.

I am still trying to figure out what this idiotic question is supposed to determine, and ESPECIALLY what this idiotic question is supposed to CONTROL for. If you are testing atheist vs rapist likelihood of stealing, why is the unmarked "teacher" there? And how does this measure "trust" in some universal way?

"Who do you think is more likely to intentionally lie to you? A teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher?" I think we'd all know the answer to THAT one.

"A priest, an atheist priest, or a rapist priest" kind of changes the matrix of the question as the atheist priest would probably have to lie MORE OFTEN, but...

i didnt mean that all believers felt this way, but a whole lot of them do. if everyone was live and let live in this country we wouldn't have all the crummy laws we have. so what can you do. militant atheists are as bad as militant christians, except they have no control over government policy

speculawyer · Dec 10, 2011

Jason Raize '75 - '04 said:
The study is part of an attempt to understand what needs religion fulfills in people. Among the conclusions is a sense of trust in others "People find atheists very suspect," Shariff said. "They don't fear God so we should distrust them; they do not have the same moral obligations of others. This is a common refrain against atheists. People fear them as a group." Shariff, who studies atheism and religion, said the findings provide a clue to combating anti-atheism prejudice. "If you manage to offer credible counteroffers of these stereotypes, this can do a lot to undermine people's existing prejudice," he said. "If you realize there are all these atheists you've been interacting with all your life and they haven't raped your children that is going to do a lot do dispel these stereotypes."

In other words, atheists need to come out of the closet.

Moppet13 · Dec 10, 2011

I'm really confused on this study

How would hitting a parked car and stealing a wallet make you a rapist teacher? I mean the other 2 are way more believable than that.

parrotbeak · Dec 10, 2011

Trent Strong said:
"420 Canadian college students".

Stoners don't like atheists? This is a new one for me.

AceBandage · Dec 10, 2011

Moppet13 said:
I'm really confused on this study

How would hitting a parked car and stealing a wallet make you a rapist teacher?

Emotional rape.

DonMigs85 · Dec 10, 2011

I guess they just think that atheists are more inclined to lie, cheat or steal than a non-hypocrite religious person since they don't fear consequences in the afterlife. But how can you really tell who's a hypocrite?

Socreges · Dec 10, 2011

electroshockwave said:
If it was based on that then they would have just said "teachers".

Not true. People would (maybe unconsciously) assume that "teacher" is distinct from "atheist teacher". e.g., "Religious teacher".

Either way, it's a horrible question that leads to confusing implications. Could definitely implicate atheists as being less trustworthy than religious people, but it's not clear. And it certainly doesn't have any meaning with comparing atheists to rapists.

Emitan · Dec 10, 2011

One of the choices is teachers. The other two choices are a subset inside of teachers. So all this proves the majority of people who were quizzed don't understand set subset relationships.

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