Dr Adam Baimel

PhD in Social Psychology; Minor in Quantitative Methods

Lecturer in Psychology

School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health

abaimel@brookes.ac.uk

Teaching and supervision

Courses

Modules taught

Data Analysis and Statistics for Psychology
Applying Social Psychology to Global Challenges
Conceptual Issues and Critical Debates in Psychology
Conceptual Issues and Social Psychology

Research

I study the cultural evolution of religon. My research asks questions about: the relative contributions of cognition and culture to religious/supernatural beliefs, the psychological consequences of ritual participation and the relationship between religion and cooperation.

More recently, my work seeks to identify when (and in what ways) socio-ecological challenges create changes in religious systems; with a particular focus on how (and with what consequences) religious systems are adapting their concerns to the rising threats associated with the climate crisis.

Groups

Applied Social and Cultural Psychology

Projects

The greening of religions

Projects as Principal Investigator, or Lead Academic if project is led by another Institution

Objects of Spiritual Yearning in the Spiritual but not Religious (led by Trinity Western University) (01/01/2024 - 30/09/2026), funded by: John Templeton Foundation, funding amount received by Brookes: £343,383

Publications

Billet M, Baimel A, Schaller M, Norenzayan A, Ecospirituality
Current Directions in Psychological Science [online first] (2025) ISSN: 0963-7214 eISSN: 1467-8721 Ecospirituality Open Access version on RADAR
Billet M, Baimel A, Milfont T, Norenzayan A , Political Common Ground on Preserving Nature: Environmental Motives Across the Political Spectrum
Environment and Behavior 56 (7/8) (2024) pp.542-576 ISSN: 0013-9165 eISSN: 1552-390X Political Common Ground on Preserving Nature: Environmental Motives Across the Political Spectrum Open Access version on RADAR
Karki N, Warlick CA, Baimel A, Jong J, Religiosity, spirituality, and mental health in eight countries
Psychology of Religion and Spirituality 16 (4) (2024) pp.388-396 ISSN: 1941-1022 eISSN: 1943-1562 Religiosity, spirituality, and mental health in eight countries Open Access version on RADAR
van Mulukom V, Baimel A, Maraldi E, Farias M, Examining the relationship between metacognitive trust in thinking styles and supernatural beliefs
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 65 (2) (2023) pp.206-222 ISSN: 0036-5564 eISSN: 1467-9450 Examining the relationship between metacognitive trust in thinking styles and supernatural beliefs Open Access version on RADAR
Billet MI, Baimel A, Sahakari SS, Schaller M, Norenzayan A, Ecospirituality: The Psychology of Moral Concern for Nature
Journal of Environmental Psychology 87 (2023) ISSN: 0272-4944 eISSN: 1522-9610 Ecospirituality: The Psychology of Moral Concern for Nature Open Access version on RADAR
Hoogeveen S, Sarafoglou A, Aczel B, Aditya Y, Alayan AJ, Allen PJ, Altay S, Alzahawi S, Amir Y, Anthony F-V, Appiah OK, Atkinson QD, Baimel A, Balkaya-Ince M, Balsamo M, Banker S, Bartoš F, Becerra M, Beffara B, Beitner J, Bendixen T, Berkessel JB, Berniūnas R, Billet MI, Billingsley J, Bortolini T, Breitsohl H, Bret A, Brown FL, Brown J, Brumbaugh CC, Buczny J, Bulbulia J, Caballero S, Carlucci L, Carmichael CL, Cattaneo MEGV, Charles SJ, Claessens S, Panagopoulos MC, Costa AB, Crone DL, Czoschke S, Czymara C, D’Urso ED, Dahlström Ö, Dalla Rosa A, Danielsson H, De Ron J, de Vries YA, Dean KK, Dik BJ, Disabato DJ, Doherty JK, Draws T, Drouhot L, Dujmovic M, Dunham Y, Ebert T, Edelsbrunner PA, Eerland A, Elbaek CT, Farahmand S, Farahmand H, Farias M, Feliccia AA, Fischer K, Fischer R, Fisher-Thompson D, Francis Z, Frick S, Frisch LK, Geraldes D, Gerdin E, Geven L, Ghasemi O, Gielens E, Gligorić V, Hagel K, Hamilton HR, Hamzah I, Hanel PHP, Hawk CE, Holding BC, Homman L, E, Ingendahl M, Inkilä H, Inman ML, Islam C-G, Isler O, Izydorczyk D, Jaeger B, Johnson KA, Jong J, Karl JA, Himawan KK, Kaszubowski E, Katz BA, Keefer LA, Kelchtermans S, Kelly JM, Klein RA, Kleinberg B, Knowles ML, Dave Koller MK, Krasko J, Kritzler S, Krypotos A-M, Kyritsis T, (Larson) Landes T, Laukenmann R, Lavender Forsyth GA, Lazar A, Lehman BJ, Levy N, Lo RF, Lodder P, Lorenz J, Łowicki P, Ly AL, Maassen E, Magyar-Russell GM, Maier M, Marsh DR, Martinez N, Martinie M, Martoyo I, Mason SE, Mauritsen AL, McAleer P, McCauley T, McCullough M, McKay R, McMahon CM, McNamara AA, Means KK, Mercier B, Mitkidis P, Monin B, Moon JW, Moreau D, Morgan J, Murphy J, Muscatt G, Nägel C, Nagy T, Nalborczyk L, Hajdu N, Nilsonne G, Noack P, Norenzayan A, Nuijten MB, Olsson-Collentine A, Oviedo L, Pavlov YG, Pawelski JO, Pearson HI, Pedder H, Peetz HK, Pinus M, Pirutinsky S, Polito V, Porubanova M, Poulin MJ, Prenoveau JM, Prince MA, Protzko J, Pryor C, Purzycki BG, Qiu L, Pütter JQ, Rabelo A, Radell ML, Ramsay JE, Reid G, Roberts A, Root Luna LM, Ross RM, Roszak P, Roy N, Saarelainen S-MK, Sasaki JY, Schaumans C, Schivinski B, Schmitt MC, Schnitker SA, Schnuerch M, Schreiner MR, Schüttengruber V, Sebben S, Segerstrom SC, Seryczyńska B, Shjoedt U, Simsek M, Sleegers WWA, Smith ER, Sowden WJ, Späth M, Spörlein C, Stedden W, Stoevenbelt AH, Stuber S, Sulik J, Suwartono C, Syropoulos S, Szaszi B, Szecsi P, Tay L, Thibault RT, Thompson B, Thurn CM, Torralba J, Tuthill SD, Ullein A-M, Van Aert RCM, van Assen MALM, Van Cappellen P, Van den Akker OR, Van der Cruyssen I, Van der Noll J, van Dongen NNN, Van Lissa CJ, van Mulukom V, van Ravenzwaaij D, van Zyl CJJ, Vaughn LA, Većkalov B, Verschuere B, Vianello M, Vilanova F, Vishkin A, Vogel V, Vogelsmeier LVDE, Watanabe S, White CJM, Wiebels K, Wiechert S, Willett Z, Witkowiak M, Witvliet CVO, Wiwad D, Wuyts R, Xygalatas D, Yang X, Yeo DJ, Yilmaz O, Zarzeczna N, Zhao Y, Zijlmans J, van Elk M, and Wagenmakers E-J, A many-analysts approach to the relation between religiosity and well-being
Religion, Brain & Behavior 13 (3) (2022) pp.237-283 ISSN: 2153-599X eISSN: 2153-5981 A many-analysts approach to the relation between religiosity and well-being Open Access version on RADAR
Baimel A, Apicella CL, Atkinson Q, Bolyanatz A, Cohen E, Handley C, Henrich J, Kundtova Klocova E, Lang M, Lesogorol C, Matew S, McNamara RA, Moya C, Norenzayan A, Placek C, Soler M, Vardy T, Weigel J, Willard AK, Xygalatas D, Purzycki BG, Material insecurity predicts greater commitment to moralistic and less commitment to local deities: A cross-cultural investigation
Religion, Brain & Behavior 12 (1-2) (2022) pp.4-17 ISSN: 2153-599X eISSN: 2153-5981 Material insecurity predicts greater commitment to moralistic and less commitment to local deities: A cross-cultural investigation Open Access version on RADAR
Crook N, Nugent S, Rolf M, Baimel A, Raper R, Computing morality: Synthetic ethical decision making and behaviour
Cognitive Computation and Systems 3 (2) (2021) pp.79-82 ISSN: 2517-7567 eISSN: 2517-7567
Baimel A, Juda M, Birch S, Henrich J, Machiavellian Strategist or Cultural Learner? Mentalizing and learning over development in a resource sharing game
Evolutionary Human Sciences 3 (2021) ISSN: 2513-843X eISSN: 2513-843X Machiavellian Strategist or Cultural Learner? Mentalizing and learning over development in a resource sharing game Open Access version on RADAR
Ghrear S, Baimel A, Haddock T, Birch SAJ, Are the Classic False Belief Tasks Cursed? Young children are just as likely as older children to pass a false belief task when they are not required to overcome the Curse of Knowledge
PLoS ONE 16 (2) (2021) ISSN: 1932-6203 eISSN: 1932-6203 Are the Classic False Belief Tasks Cursed? Young children are just as likely as older children to pass a false belief task when they are not required to overcome the Curse of Knowledge Open Access version on RADAR
Baimel A, White CJM, Sarkissian H, Norenzayan A, How is analytical thinking related to religious belief? A test of three theoretical models
Religion, Brain & Behavior 11 (3) (2021) pp.239-260 ISSN: 2153-599X eISSN: 2153-5981 How is analytical thinking related to religious belief? A test of three theoretical models Open Access version on RADAR
White CJM, Willard AK, Baimel A, Norenzayan A, Cognitive pathways to belief in karma and belief in God
Cognitive Science: A Multidisciplinary Journal 45 (1) (2021) ISSN: 0364-0213 eISSN: 1551-6709 Cognitive pathways to belief in karma and belief in God Open Access version on RADAR
Preston J, Baimel A, Towards a psychology of religion and the environment: The good, the bad, and the mechanisms
Current Opinion in Psychology 40 (2020) pp.145-149 ISSN: 2352-250X Towards a psychology of religion and the environment: The good, the bad, and the mechanisms Open Access version on RADAR
White CJM, Baimel A, Norenzayan A, How cultural learning and cognitive biases shape religious beliefs
Current Opinion in Psychology 40 (2020) pp.34-39 ISSN: 2352-250X How cultural learning and cognitive biases shape religious beliefs Open Access version on RADAR
Willard AK, Baimel A, Turpin H, Jong J, Whitehouse H, Rewarding the good and punishing the bad: The role of karma and afterlife beliefs in shaping moral norms
Evolution and Human Behavior 41 (5) (2020) pp.385-396 ISSN: 1090-5138 Rewarding the good and punishing the bad: The role of karma and afterlife beliefs in shaping moral norms Open Access version on RADAR
Birch SAJ, Severson RL, Baimel A, Children's understanding of when a person's confidence and hesitancy is a cue to their credibility
PLoS ONE 15 (1) (2020) ISSN: 1932-6203 Children's understanding of when a person's confidence and hesitancy is a cue to their credibility Open Access version on RADAR
Baimel A, Birch SAJ, Norenzayan A, Coordinating bodies and minds: Behavioral synchrony fosters mentalizing
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 74 (2018) pp.281-290 ISSN: 0022-1031 eISSN: 1096-0465
Birch SAJ, Li V, Haddock T, Ghrear SE, Brosseau-Liard P, Baimel A, Whyte M, Perspectives on Perspective Taking: How Children Think About the Minds of Others
Advances in Child Development and Behavior 52 (2017) pp.185-226 ISSN: 0065-2407
Cohen E, Baimel A, Purzycki BG, Religiosity and Resource Allocation in Marajó, Brazil
Religion, Brain & Behavior 8 (2) (2017) pp.168-184 ISSN: 2153-599X eISSN: 2153-5981
Purzycki B, Norenzayan A, Apicella C, Atkinson Q, Baimel A, Cohen E, McNamara R, Willard A, Henrich J, The Evolution of Religion and Morality: A Synthesis of Ethnographic and Experimental Evidence from Eight Societies
Religion, Brain & Behavior 8 (2) (2017) pp.101-132 ISSN: 2153-599X eISSN: 2153-5981
White C, Baimel A, Norenzayan A, What are the causes and consequences of belief in karma?
Religion, Brain & Behavior 7 (4) (2017) ISSN: 2153-599X eISSN: 2153-5981
Baimel A, Severson RL, Baron AS, Birch Susan AJ, Enhancing "theory of mind" through behavioral synchrony
Frontiers in Psychology 6 (2015) ISSN: 1664-1078 eISSN: 1664-1078

Willard AK, Turpin H, Baimel A, Universal Cognitive Biases as the Basis for Supernatural Beliefs: Evidence and Critiques
in Jamshid J. Tehrani (ed.), Jeremy Kendal (ed.), Rachel Kendal (ed.) (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Cultural Evolution , Oxford University Press (2023) ISBN: 9780198869252 eISBN: 9780191905780 Universal Cognitive Biases as the Basis for Supernatural Beliefs: Evidence and Critiques Open Access version on RADAR
Baimel A, Environmentalism and the Minds of Gods
in Purzycki, B G Bendixen, T (ed.), The Minds of Gods, Bloomsbury Academic (2023) ISBN: 9781350265707 eISBN: 9781350265738 Environmentalism and the Minds of Gods Open Access version on RADAR
Purzycki BG, Baimel A, Examining the minds of gods
in Religion: Mental Religion, Macmillan Reference USA (2016) ISBN: 9780028663609

Further details

For more information you can visit: www.adambaimel.com