Jesse Bering
Encyclopedia
Jesse Bering is the Director of the Institute of Cognition and Culture and a Reader in the School of History and Anthropology at Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland. A research psychologist by training, he writes the popular weekly Bering in Mind a featured blog/column for the Scientific American
website. Bering is notable for his frank and humorous handling of controversial issues in psychological science
, especially those dealing with human sexuality
. The column was named a 2010 Webby
Honoree for the blog-cultural category by members of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. He also received the 2010 "Scientist of the Year Award" by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP), an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He attended graduate school at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
where he earned his MA degree (1999) studying chimpanzee social cognition under the guidance of comparative psychologist Daniel J. Povinelli. He then transferred to Florida Atlantic University
, where he obtained a PhD in developmental psychology (2002). His doctoral advisor was the evolutionary developmental psychologist David F. Bjorklund
. Bering's academic research is in the area of the cognitive science of religion
. He is a co-principal investigator in the Oxford University-based 'Explaining Religion' project, a three-year, €2 million project funded by the European Commission. Bering is also a co-principal investigator in a John Templeton Foundation
project to study the evolutionary relationship between cooperation, morality and religion.
Bering was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas
for four years as an Assistant Professor of Psychology from 2002-2006. He has served as the Director of the Institute of Cognition and Culture at Queen’s University, Belfast since 2006.
He is the author of the recently published book (February 2011) The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life (W. W. Norton
). In promotional material from the book publisher’s website, Bering refers to God as an “adaptive illusion” that has “outlasted [its] evolutionary purpose.” In the United Kingdom, the book is published by Nicholas Brealey Publishing and is titled The God Instinct. The book is scheduled to be released in November 2010 in the United Kingdom and February 2011 in North America. Advance rights have also been acquired by Germany (Piper Verlag
), Italy (Rizzoli
), Portugal (Temas e Debates), Japan (Kagaku-Dojin), Spain (Ediciones PAIDÓS), and the Netherlands (Nieuw Amsterdam).
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
website. Bering is notable for his frank and humorous handling of controversial issues in psychological science
Psychological science
Psychological Science is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Association for Psychological Science , published by SAGE Publications. It is one of the most influential journals in psychology.-Publishings:...
, especially those dealing with human sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
. The column was named a 2010 Webby
Webby Awards
A Webby Award is an international award presented annually by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences for excellence on the Internet with categories in websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile....
Honoree for the blog-cultural category by members of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. He also received the 2010 "Scientist of the Year Award" by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP), an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He attended graduate school at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
where he earned his MA degree (1999) studying chimpanzee social cognition under the guidance of comparative psychologist Daniel J. Povinelli. He then transferred to Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, where he obtained a PhD in developmental psychology (2002). His doctoral advisor was the evolutionary developmental psychologist David F. Bjorklund
David F. Bjorklund
David F. Bjorklund is a professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University. His areas of research interest include cognitive development and evolutionary developmental psychology. His works include authoring several books and over 130 scientific papers...
. Bering's academic research is in the area of the cognitive science of religion
Cognitive science of religion
Cognitive science of religion is the study of religious thought and behavior from the perspective of the cognitive and evolutionary sciences. The field employs methods and theories from a very broad range of disciplines, including: cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology, cognitive...
. He is a co-principal investigator in the Oxford University-based 'Explaining Religion' project, a three-year, €2 million project funded by the European Commission. Bering is also a co-principal investigator in a John Templeton Foundation
John Templeton Foundation
"The John Templeton Foundation is a philanthropic organizationthat funds inter-disciplinary research about human purpose and ultimate reality. It is usually referred to simply as the Templeton Foundation...
project to study the evolutionary relationship between cooperation, morality and religion.
Bering was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
for four years as an Assistant Professor of Psychology from 2002-2006. He has served as the Director of the Institute of Cognition and Culture at Queen’s University, Belfast since 2006.
He is the author of the recently published book (February 2011) The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life (W. W. Norton
W. W. Norton
W. W. Norton & Company is an independent American book publishing company based in New York City. It is well known for its "Norton Anthologies", particularly the Norton Anthology of English Literature and the "Norton Critical Editions" series of texts which are frequently assigned in university...
). In promotional material from the book publisher’s website, Bering refers to God as an “adaptive illusion” that has “outlasted [its] evolutionary purpose.” In the United Kingdom, the book is published by Nicholas Brealey Publishing and is titled The God Instinct. The book is scheduled to be released in November 2010 in the United Kingdom and February 2011 in North America. Advance rights have also been acquired by Germany (Piper Verlag
Piper Verlag
Piper Verlag is a German publisher based in Munich, printing both fiction and non-fiction works. It currently prints over 200 new paperback titles per year. Authors published by the company include Andreas von Bülow and Sara Paretsky. It owned by the Swedish media conglomerate Bonnier. It was...
), Italy (Rizzoli
RCS MediaGroup
RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. , based in Milan and listed on the Italian Stock Exchange, is an international multimedia publishing group that operates in daily newspapers, magazines and books, radio broadcasting, new media and digital and satellite TV...
), Portugal (Temas e Debates), Japan (Kagaku-Dojin), Spain (Ediciones PAIDÓS), and the Netherlands (Nieuw Amsterdam).