In press
Divine forgiveness and mortal support for state-sanctioned punishment
O'Lone, K. M. & McKay, R. T. (in press). Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion.
Kavanagh, C., Jong, J., McKay, R. & Whitehouse, H. (in press). European Journal of Social Psychology. doi:10.1002/ejsp.2514
Tappin, B. M. & McKay, R. T. (in press). Social Psychological and Personality Science. doi:10.1177/1948550617750736
Idolizing the indexical: Commentary on Van Leeuwen and van Elk
McKay, R., Jong, J. & O’Lone, K. (in press). Religion, Brain & Behavior. doi:10.1080/2153599X.2018.1453533
2018
Not on my team: Medial prefrontal cortex responses to ingroup fusion and unfair monetary divisions
Apps, M. A, J., McKay, R., Azevedo, R., Whitehouse, H. & Tsakiris, M. (2018). Brain and Behavior, 8(8): e01030. doi:10.1002/brb3.1030
Shamanism and the psychosis continuum: Commentary on Singh
Ross, R. & McKay, R. (2018). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 41, e84. doi:10.1080/2153599X.2018.1453533
Do the folk actually hold folk-economic beliefs?
Tappin, B. M., Ross, R. & McKay, R. T. (2018). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 41, e190. doi:10.1017/S0140525X18000560
Analytic atheism: A cross-culturally weak and fickle phenomenon?
Gervais, W. M., van Elk, M., Xygalatas, D., McKay, R. T. et al. (2018). Judgment and Decision Making, 13(3), 268-274.
Howe, J., Ross, R., McKay, R. & Balzan, R. P. (2018). Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 226(3), 182-190. doi:10.1027/2151-2604/a000333
The role of experience in religion: Accommodation vs. assimilation
McKay, R. (2018). Religion, Brain & Behavior, 8(4), 428-431. doi:10.1080/2153599X.2017.1323782
The error of God, revisited
McKay, R. ,Ross, R. M., O'Lone, K., & Efferson, C. (2018). Religion, Brain & Behavior, 8(3), 306-310. doi:10.1080/2153599X.2017.1302983
Rituals improve children's ability to delay gratification
Rybanska, V., McKay, R., Jong, J. & Whitehouse, H. (2018). Child Development, 89(2), 349-359. doi:10.1111/cdev.12762
2017
Global evidence of extreme intuitive moral prejudice against atheists
Gervais, W. M., Xygalatas, D., McKay, R. T., van Elk, M., Buchtel, E. K., Aveyard, M., Schiavone, S., Dar-Nimrod, I., Svedholm-Häkkinen, A. M., Riekki, T., Klocova, E. K., Ramsay, J. E. & Bulbulia, J. (2017). Nature Human Behaviour, 1, 0151. doi:10.1038/s41562-017-0151
The heart trumps the head: Desirability bias in political belief revision
Tappin, B., Van Der Leer, L. & McKay, R. (2017). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(8), 1143-1149.
Van Der Leer, L., Hartig, B., Goldmanis, M. & McKay, R. (2017). Clinical Psychological Science, 5(4), 718-725.
Why is belief in God not a delusion?
Ross, R. & McKay, R. (2017). Religion, Brain & Behavior, 7(4), 316-319.
Doppelgängers and dissociations: Lesion network mapping illuminates misidentification delusions
McKay, R. & Furl, N. (2017). Brain, 140(2), 262-265.
The optimist within? Selective sampling and self-deception.
van der Leer, L. & McKay, R. (2017). Consciousness and Cognition, 50, 23–29.
The evolution of extreme cooperation via shared dysphoric experiences
Whitehouse, H., Jong, J., Buhrmester, M., Gomez, A., Bastian, B., Kavanagh, C., Newson, M., Matthews, M., Lanman, J., McKay, R. & Gavrilets, S. (2017). Scientific Reports, 7, Article 44292, 1-10.
Tappin, B., McKay, R., & Abrams, D. (2017). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 40, e13.
The illusion of moral superiority
Tappin, B. M. & McKay, R. T. (2017). Social Psychological and Personality Science, 8(6), 623-631. doi:10.1177/1948550616673878
Ross, R., Hartig, B. & McKay, R. (2017). Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 56, 90-96.
2016
Perception, cognition, and delusion: Commentary on Firestone and Scholl
Ross, R. M., McKay, R., Coltheart, M., & Langdon, R. (2016). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 39, e258. doi:10.1017/S0140525X15002691
Ross, R. M., & Atkinson, Q. D. (2016). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 39, 37-38.
Atheists and Agnostics Are More Reflective than Religious Believers: Four Empirical Studies and a Meta-Analysis
Pennycook, G., Ross, R.M., Koehler, D. J., & Fugelsang, J. A. (2016). PLoS One, 11(4).
Folktale transmission in the Arctic provides evidence for high bandwidth social learning among hunter-gatherer groups
Ross, R.M., & Atkinson, Q. (2016). Evolution and Human Behavior, 37(1), 47-53.
Analytic cognitive style, not delusional ideation, predicts data gathering in a large beads task study
Ross, R.M., Pennycook, G., McKay, R., Gervais, W., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2016). Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 21(4), 300-314.
Religion promotes a love for thy neighbour: But how big is the neighbourhood?: Commentary on Norenzayan et al.
McKay, R., & Whitehouse, H. (2016). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 39, 35-36.
Don’t blame the norm: On the challenge of ecological rationality
Boudry, M., Vlerick, M., & McKay, R. (2016). In F. Paglieri, L. Bonelli, & S. Felletti (Eds.), The Psychology of Argument: Cognitive Approaches to Argumentation and Persuasion. (pp. 85-97). London: College Publications.
Commentary on Cognitive reflection vs. calculation in decision making
Pennycook, G., & Ross, R. M. (2016). Frontiers in Psychology.
2015
Bayesian accounts and black swans: Questioning the erotetic theory of delusional thinking
McKay, R. (2015). Cognitive Neuropsychiatry,20(5), 456-466.
Can evolution get us off the hook?: Evaluating the ecological defence of human rationality
Boudry, M., Vlerick, M., & McKay, R. (2015). Consciousness and Cognition, 33, 524-35.
Jumping to conclusions about the beads task?: A meta-analysis of delusional ideation and data-gathering
Ross, R.M., McKay, R., Coltheart, M., & Langdon, R. (2015). Schizophrenia Bulletin, 41(5), 1183-1191.
Delusion-proneness and ‘Jumping to Conclusions’: Relative and absolute effects
Van Der Leer, L., Hartig, B., Goldmanis, M., & McKay, R. (2015). Psychological Medicine, 45(6), 1253-1262.
Religion and morality
McKay, R., & Whitehouse, H. (2015). Psychological Bulletin, 141(2), 447-473.
Geertz, A. W. & McKay, R. (2015). Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion, 3(2), 111–112.
2014
"Jumping-to-conclusions" in delusion-prone participants: An experimental economics approach
Van Der Leer, L., & McKay, R. (2014). Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 19(3), 257-267.
Editorial: Religion and Agency
McKay, R. (2014). Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion, 2(2), 93-96.
Memory for expectation-violating concepts: The effects of agents and cultural familiarity
Porubanova, M., Shaw, D., McKay, R., & Xygalatas, D. (2014). PLoS One, 9(4), e90684.
Paranoid males have reduced lateralisation for processing of negative emotions: An investigation using the chimeric faces test.
Bourne, V., & McKay, R. (2014). Laterality, 19, 235-252.
Trust in me: Trustworthy others are seen as more physically similar to the self
Farmer, H., McKay, R., & Tsakiris, M. (2014). Psychological Science, 25(1), 290–292.
Unrealistic optimism and 'nosognosia': Illness recognition in the healthy brain
McKay, R., Buchmann, A., Germann, N., Yu, S., & Brugger, P. (2014). Cortex, 61, 141-147.
2013
Vestibular stimulation attenuates unrealistic optimism
McKay, R., Tamagni, C., Palla, A., Krummenacher, P., Hegemann, S., Straumann, D., & Brugger, P. (2013). Vestibular stimulation attenuates unrealistic optimism. Cortex, 49(8), 2272-2275.
Catholic guilt?: Recall of confession promotes prosocial behaviour.
McKay, R., Herold, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2013). Catholic guilt?: Recall of confession promotes prosocial behaviour.Religion, Brain & Behavior, 3(3), 201-209.
Announcing the Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion
Xygalatas, D., & McKay, R. (2013). Announcing the Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion. Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion, 1(1), 1-4.
Delusions
McKay, R. (2013). Delusions. In H. Pashler, T. Crane, M. Kinsbourne, F. Ferreira, & R. Zemel (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of the Mind. (pp. 231). Sage.
Do religious and moral concepts influence the ability to delay gratification? A priming study
Harrison, J., & McKay, R. (2013). Do religious and moral concepts influence the ability to delay gratification? A priming study. Journal of Articles in Support of the Null Hypothesis, 10(1), 25-40.
Give me strength or give me a reason: Self-control, religion, and the currency of reputation.
Harrison, J., & McKay, R. (2013). Give me strength or give me a reason: Self-control, religion, and the currency of reputation. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36(6), 688-689.
2012
Commentary on Pinker
Whitehouse, H., & McKay, R. (2012). Commentary on Pinker. Edge.
Delusional inference
McKay, R. (2012). Delusional inference. Mind & Language, 27(3), 330-355.
Delay discounting rates are temporally stable in an equivalent present value procedure using theoretical and ‘Area under the Curve’ analyses
Harrison, J., & McKay, R. (2012). Delay discounting rates are temporally stable in an equivalent present value procedure using theoretical and ‘Area under the Curve’ analyses. Psychological Record, 62, 307-320.
The sleep of reason: Do atheists improve the stock?
McKay, R., & Dennett, D. (2012). The sleep of reason: Do atheists improve the stock?. Religion, Brain & Behavior, 2(1), 78-80.
2011
Wrath of God: Religious primes and punishment
McKay, R., Efferson, C., Whitehouse, H., & Fehr, E. (2011). Wrath of God: Religious primes and punishment. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological sciences, 278(1713), 1858-1863.
Surveillance cues enhance moral condemnation
Bourrat, P., Baumard, N., & McKay, R. (2011). Surveillance cues enhance moral condemnation. Evolutionary Psychology, 9(2), 193-199.
Delusional belief
Coltheart, M., Langdon, R., & McKay, R. (2011). Delusional belief. Annual Review of Psychology, 62, 271-298.
Isn’t it ironic?: A review of Why Everyone (Else) is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind
McKay, R. (2011). Isn’t it ironic?: A review of Why Everyone (Else) is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind. Evolution and Human Behavior, 32(6), 444-446.
Protesting too much: Self-deception and self-signaling
McKay, R., Mijovic-Prelec, D., & Prelec, D. (2011). Protesting too much: Self-deception and self-signaling. Behavioral and Brain Sciences,34(1), 34-35.
2010
The subtleties of error management
McKay, R., & Efferson, C. (2010). The subtleties of error management. Evolution and Human Behavior, 31(5), 309-319.
Confabulation, delusion, and anosognosia: Motivational factors and false claims
McKay, R., & Kinsbourne, M. (2010). Confabulation, delusion, and anosognosia: Motivational factors and false claims. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 15(1), 288-318.
Lateralisation of self-esteem: an investigation using a dichotically presented auditory adaptation of the Implicit Association Test
McKay, R., Arciuli, J., Atkinson, A., Bennett, E., & Pheils, E. (2010). Lateralisation of self-esteem: an investigation using a dichotically presented auditory adaptation of the Implicit Association Test. Cortex, 46(3), 367-73.
2009
The evolution of misbelief
McKay, R., & Dennett, D. C. (2009). The evolution of misbelief. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32(6), 493-510.
"Sleights of mind": Delusions and self-deception
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2009). "Sleights of mind": Delusions and self-deception. In T. Bayne, & J. Fernandez (Eds.),Delusion and Self-Deception: Affective and Motivational Influences on Belief Formation. (pp. 165-85). Hove: Psychology Press.
Our evolving beliefs about evolved misbelief
McKay, R., & Dennett, D. (2009). Our evolving beliefs about evolved misbelief. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32(6), 541-51.
2008
Psychological factors in retrograde amnesia: self-deception and a broken heart
Baird, A. D., & McKay, R. (2008). Psychological factors in retrograde amnesia: self-deception and a broken heart. Neurocase, 14(5), 400-13.
The cognitive neuropsychological understanding of persecutory delusions
Langdon, R., McKay, R., & Coltheart, M. (2008). The cognitive neuropsychological understanding of persecutory delusions. In D. Freeman, R. Bentall, & P. Garety (Eds.), Persecutory Delusions: Assessment, Theory, and Treatment. (pp. 221-36). New York: Oxford University Press.
2007
Reconciling psychodynamic and neurological perspectives on denial
McKay, R., & Anderson, M. (2007). Reconciling psychodynamic and neurological perspectives on denial. Cortex, 43(8), 1102-3; discussion 1116-21
Jumping to delusions? Paranoia, probabilistic reasoning, and need for closure
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2007). Jumping to delusions? Paranoia, probabilistic reasoning, and need for closure. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 12(4), 362-76.
The defensive function of persecutory delusions: an investigation using the Implicit Association Test
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2007). The defensive function of persecutory delusions: an investigation using the Implicit Association Test. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 12(1), 1-24.
Attributional style in a case of Cotard delusion
McKay, R., & Cipolotti, L. (2007). Attributional style in a case of Cotard delusion. Consciousness and Cognition, 16(2), 349-59.
Models of misbelief: Integrating motivational and deficit theories of delusions
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2007). Models of misbelief: Integrating motivational and deficit theories of delusions.Consciousness and Cognition, 16(4), 932-41.
Schizophrenia and monothematic delusions
Coltheart, M., Langdon, R., & McKay, R. (2007). Schizophrenia and monothematic delusions. Schizophrenia bulletin, 33(3), 642-7.
2006
The Persecutory Ideation Questionnaire
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2006). The Persecutory Ideation Questionnaire. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 194(8), 628-31.
Need for closure, jumping to conclusions, and decisiveness in delusion-prone individuals
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2006). Need for closure, jumping to conclusions, and decisiveness in delusion-prone individuals.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 194(6), 422-6.
A continuum of mindfulness
Dennett, D., & McKay, R. (2006). A continuum of mindfulness. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 29(4), 353-4.
2005
"Sleights of mind": Delusions, defences and self-deception.
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2005). "Sleights of mind": Delusions, defences and self-deception.Cognitive Neuropsychiatry,10(4), 305-326.
Paranoia, persecutory delusions and attributional biases.
McKay, R., Langdon, R., & Coltheart, M. (2005). Paranoia, persecutory delusions and attributional biases.Psychiatry Research, 136, 233-245.
2004
Hallucinating God? The cognitive neuropsychiatry of religious belief and experience.
McKay, R. (2004). Hallucinating God? The cognitive neuropsychiatry of religious belief and experience.Evolution and Cognition, 10(1), 114-125.
2001
Attractiveness of facial averageness and symmetry in non-Western cultures: In search of biologically based standards of beauty.
Rhodes, G., Yoshikawa, S., Clark, A., Lee, K., McKay, R., & Akamatsu, S. (2001). Attractiveness of facial averageness and symmetry in non-Western cultures: In search of biologically based standards of beauty.Perception, 30, 611-625.
Do facial averageness and symmetry signal health?
Rhodes, G., Zebrowitz, L., Clark, A., Kalick, M., Hightower, A., & McKay, R. (2001). Do facial averageness and symmetry signal health?.Evolution and Human Behavior, 22(1), 31-46.