A career of groundbreaking inquiry began with the choice that David DeSteno made as an undergraduate.
“I was deciding between being a religious studies major and a psychologist,” says DeSteno, a professor of psychology at Northeastern. “I felt like I could get more answers by taking the scientific route. But the questions were ones that always fascinated me. What makes people moral? How do they find connection in this world? How do they become more compassionate?”
The result is DeSteno’s latest book, “How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion.” It explores why religious practices and rituals can be beneficial to anyone, whether they believe in the religion or not.
DeSteno has also launched a podcast of interviews, “How God Works with David DeSteno,” in which guests help him explore the intersections of science, religion, and human experience. The podcast is broadcast by PRX, a public media organization.
Read more on News@Northeastern.
Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University.
