Sex Makes Men More Likely To Believe In God

Hormones released while having sex can increase spirituality and belief in God, scientists have claimed. According to the research, release of oxytocin not only promotes social bonding and helps childbirth in women, but also stimulates increased feelings of religiousness. A research tem carried out a study in which they coasted levels of oxytocin in middle-aged men and found increased self-reported spirituality on two separate measures. The effect remained significant even a week later. A control group who received a placebo did not report higher levels of spirituality. Those who received the hormone also reported more positive emotions during meditation.

Spirituality and meditation have each been linked to health and well being. Researchers were interested in understanding biological factors that may enhance those spiritual experiences. Oxytocin appears to be part of the way our bodies support spiritual beliefs. Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus, and previous research has indicated the hormone may play a role in promoting empathy, trust, social bonding and altruism. The group who received oxytocin was more likely to report that spirituality was important in their lives and that life has meaning and purpose. This remained true after taking into account whether the participant belonged to an organized religion or not.

The participants who received the hormone also gave more positive responses to statements, including “all life is interconnected” and “there is a higher plane of consciousness or spirituality that binds all people”. However, researcher warned the findings should not be over-generalized. Oxytocin does seem to affect how we perceive the world and what we believe.

This Is What Your Best Friend Likes On TV

Dog owners often notice their pets watching TV and computer screens and tablets. But what goes on in the pooch’s head? Indeed, by tracking their vision using similar methods used on humans, research has found that domestic dogs do prefer certain images and videos. The study indicates that dogs have a preference towards watching other canines – but our studies also discovered that sound often attracts dogs towards TV. Favored sounds are dogs barking and whining, dog friendly commands and praise, and the noise of toys squeaking. How dogs watch TV is very different to the way humans do, however. Instead of sitting still, dogs will often approach the screen, and walk repeatedly between their owner and the TV. They are essentially fidgety, interactive viewers.

What dogs can see on the screen is also different to humans. Dogs have dichromatic vision – they have two types of color receptor cells and see color within two spectrums of light: blue and yellow. This explains why canine TV channel, Dog TV prioritizes these colors in its programming. But do they enjoy it? We as humans will often watch distressing footage or videos that make us feel a range of emotions, from distress to anger and horror. It’s not always because it makes us feel good. What a dog does engage with, however, differs from dog to dog, depending on their personality, experience and preference. This is speculated to be influenced by their owner, with dogs following their human’s gaze and other communication signals.