People who have a certain sexual strategy get attracted to religion because it benefits the strategy that they have, according to cool data. Religious people with a committed sexual strategy may oppose abortion as it makes casual sex more acceptable and accessible.
In this episode, Daniel and Dr. Martie Haselton discuss the biological and psychological factors that shape human sexual strategies, and how they conflict in modern society.
People who have a committed sexual strategy are likely to oppose abortion, as legal and safe access to it enables less committed strategists to pursue casual sex, interfering with committed strategists' preferences. This link allows us to question political attitudes towards abortion.
The argument that abortion laws are meant to save lives rather than punishing women should hold up even if providing access to sex education and birth control could decrease the need for abortions, and therefore save fetal lives. However, this does not always seem to be the case.
The relationship between religion and sexual strategy is not one-sided. People with certain sexual strategies may be attracted to religion because it benefits their strategy. Accepting one's evolutionary predisposition can be uncomfortable, especially when it comes to beliefs about abortion or religion, but it is important to understand how our genes influence our behavior.