ARTICLES

• Moore, B., Silva, P., & Farias, M. (2025). Diagnosing Prolonged Grief Disorder: Cultural Challenges to the DSM-5-TR Criteria. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1007/s11013-025-09940-5
• Farias, M. (2025). Is it Ethically Wrong to Integrate Mindfulness into Public Health?  Mindfulness 16, 748-751. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02362-1
• Ng, C., Farias, M, & Brazil, I. (2024). Interpersonal and individual effects of an app-based Christian and Islamic heart meditation intervention in healthy adults: protocol of a stratified randomised controlled trial. BMC Psychology. 12, 15. doi: 10.1186/s40359-024-02022-y.
• Mulukom, V., Baimel, A., Maraldi, E., & Farias, M. (2024). Examining the relationship between metacognitive trust in thinking styles and supernatural beliefs. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, doi:10.1111/sjop.12961
• White, C & Farias, M. (2023). Past life meditation decreases existential death anxiety and increases meaning in life among individuals who believe in the paranormal. Journal of Cognition and Culture, 23, 338-356.
• Rahmani, M., van Mulukom, V. & Farias, M. (2023. Believing in the powers of mindfulness: A thematic narrative approach and the development of a new scale. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02164-x
• Buric, I., Farias, M., Kurtev, S., van Mulukom, V., Mee, C., Gould, L., Rehman, S., Parker, B. & Brazil, I. A., (2023). Feasibility and preliminary outcomes of intensive mindfulness and yoga on prisoners with personality disorders: A randomised controlled preliminary study. Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative, 2, 8 p., 100009.
• Maraldi, E., Costa, A., Cunha, A., Hamazaki, E., Flores, D., de Queiroz, G. P., Reichow, J., Martinez, M., Ribeiro, R., Siqueira, S., Rezinovsky, D. & Farias, M., (2023). Social Support, Help-Seeking Behaviors, and Positive/Negative Affect Among Individuals Reporting Mediumship Experience. International Journal of Latin American Religions,  7, 1-16.
• Charles, S.J., van Mulukom, V., Saraswati, A., Watts, F., Dunbar, R., & Farias, M. (2022).  Bending and bonding: a randomized controlled trial on the socio-psychobiological effects of spiritual versus secular yoga practice on social bonding. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04062-2.
• Delmonte R, Farias M, Bastos Júnior MAV, Madeira L, & Sonego B. (2022). The mind possessed: well-being, personality, and cognitive characteristics of individuals regularly experiencing religious possession. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 44: 486-494.
• Albernaz, P. & Farias, M. (2022) Invisible humans and their gods, Religion, Brain & Behavior, DOI: 10.1080/2153599X.2022.2050792
• Farias, M. (2022). DEBATE: The inevitable decline of mindfulness. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 27, 422-423. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12600
• Van Mulukom, V., Turpin, H., Haimila, R., Purzycki, B. G., Bendixen, T., Kundtová Klocová, E., Řezníček, D., Coleman III, T., Sevinc, K., Maraldi, E., Schjoedt, U., Rutjens, B. & Farias, M. (2022). What do nonreligious nonbelievers believe in? Secular worldviews around the world. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000480
• Buric, I, Farias, M., Driessen, J., Brazil, I. (2022). Individual differences in meditation interventions: A meta-analytic study. British Journal of Health Psychology, doi: 10.1111/bjhp.1258.
• Hoogeveen, S. … Farias, M…. & Wagenmakers, E-J.  (2022) A many-analysts approach to the relation between religiosity and well-being, Religion, Brain & Behavior, DOI: 10.1080/2153599X.2022.2070255
• Brown, J., van Mulukom, V., Jong, J., Watts, F., & Farias, M. (2022). Exploring the relationship between church worship, social bonding, and moral values. Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 44, 3-22.
• Clackson, K., Pohran, N., Galli, R. M., Labno, L., Farias, M., Bekinschtein, T. A. & Noreika, (2022). Cambridge Psycholinguistic Inventory of Christian Beliefs: A registered report of construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Behavior Research Methods, 54(1):457-474. doi: 10.3758/s13428-021-01632-3.
• van Mulukom V, Muzzulini B, Rutjens BT, van Lissa CJ, & Farias M. (2021). The psychological impact of threat and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic: exacerbating factors and mitigating actions. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11:1318-1329.
• Brown, J., van Mulukom, V., Charles, S., Jong, J., & Farias, M. (2021). Do you need religion to enjoy the benefits of church services? Social bonding, morality and quality of life among religious and secular congregations. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000447.
• Charles, S., van Mulukom, V., Brown, J., Watts, F., Dunbar, R., & Farias, M. (2021). United on Sunday: The effects of secular rituals on social bonding and affect. PLoS ONE, 16(1): e0242546. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242546
• Farias, M., Maraldi, E., Wallenkampf, K., & Lucchetti, G. (2020). Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation‐based therapies: a systematic review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13225
• Charles, S. J., Farias, M., van Mulukom, V., Saraswati, A, Watts, F., Dein, S., Dunbar, R. I. M. (2020) Blocking mu-opioid receptors inhibits social bonding in rituals. Biology Letters 16, 20200485. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0485

• Charles, S., Farias, M. & Dunbar, R. (2020). The aetiology of social deficits within mental health disorders: The role of the immune system and endogenous opioids. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity. 1, 100003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2019.100003  

• Maraldi, E., & Farias, M.(2019). Assessing Implicit Spirituality in a non-WEIRD Population: Development and Validation of an Implicit Measure of New Age and Paranormal Beliefs. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion.  org/10.1080/10508619.2019.1661198

• Farias, M. & Newheiser, A. (2019). The effects of belief in God and science on acute stress. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 6, 214-223. doi.org/10.1037/cns0000185

• Farias, M.,Coleman, T., Bartlett, J., Oviedo, L., Soares, P.,  Santos, T., Bas, M. (2018). Atheists on the Santiago Way: Examining motivations to go on pilgrimage. Sociology of Religion, 88, 28-44. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sry019

• Kreplin, U.* & Farias, M.*, Brazil, I. (2018)(*Joint first authors). Can meditation make the world a better place? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prosocial effects of meditation. Scientific Reports, 8, 2403. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-20299-z

• Farias, M., van Mulukom, V.,Kahane, G. Kreplin, U., Joyce, A., Soares, P., Oviedo, L., Hernu, M., Rokita, K., Savulescu, J., & Möttönen, R. Mottonen, R. (2017). Supernatural belief is not modulated by intuitive thinking style or cognitive inhibition. Scientific Reports, 7, 15100. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-14090-9

• Buric, I.,Farias, M., Jong, J. Mee, C., Brazil, I. (2017). What is the molecular signature of mind-body interventions? A systematic review of gene expression changes induced by meditation and related practices. Frontiers in Immunology, 8, p. 670. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.00670/full

• Alminhana, L.,Farias, M., Claridge, G., Cloninger, C., & Moreira-Almeida, A. (2017). How to tell a happy from an unhappy schizotype: Personality factors and mental health outcomes in individuals with psychotic experiences. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria. 39(2),126-132. http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbp/v39n2/1516-4446-rbp-1516444620161944.pdf

• Alminhana, L.,Farias, M., Claridge, G., Cloninger, C., & Moreira-Almeida, A. (2017). Self-Directedness predicts quality of life in individuals with psychotic experiences: A one-year follow up study.Psychopathology, doi: 10.1159/000474951. https://miguelfarias.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/psychopathology-2017.pdf

• Farias, M., Wikholm, C., & Delmonte, R. (2016). What is mindfulness-based therapy good for? Evidence, limitations and controversies. The Lancet Psychiatry, vol. 3(11), 1012-1013. https://3/lancet-psychiatry-2016.pdf

• Farias, M. & Wikholm, C. (2016). Has the science of mindfulness lost its mind? British Journal of Psychiatry Bulletin, 1-4, doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.116.053686. https://has-the-science-of-mindfulness-lost-its-mind.pdf

•  Delmonte, R., Lucchetti, G., Moreira-Almeida, A., & Farias, M. (2016). Can DSM 5 differentiate between non-pathological possession and dissociative identity disorder? A case study from an Afro-Brazilian religion. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, 17(3), 322-337. https://possession-and-dsm-5.pdf

• Kahane, G., Everett, J., Earp, B., Farias, M., and Savolescu, J. (2015) ‘Utilitarian’ judgments in sacrificial dilemmas do not reflect impartial concern for the greater good. Cognition 134, 193-209. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027714002054

• Farias, M. (2015) From exaggeration to silence in health-related science news and academic press releases: A mindful bias? British Medical Journal 350, h144

• Goldingay, S., Dieppe, P., and Farias, M. (2014) ‘And the pain just disappeared into insignificance…’: The healing response at Lourdes – performance, psychology and caring.’. International Review of Psychiatry 26 (3), 315

•  Bilderbeck, A., Farias, M., Brazil, I., Jacobowitz, S., and Wikholm, C. (2013) Participation in a 10-week course of yoga improves behavioural control and decreases psychological distress in a prison population. Journal of Psychiatric Research 47, 1438-1445. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395613001970

• Farias, M., Newheiser, A., Kahane, G., and de Toledo, Z. (2013) Scientific faith: Belief in science increases in the face of stress and anxiety. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 49 (6), 1210-1213.  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103113001042

• Farias, M. & Barrett, J. (2013). Introduction to the special issue: New trends in the cognitive science of religion. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 23(1), 1.

• Oviedo, L., de Courcier, S., & Farias, M. (2013). Rise of pilgrims on the camino to Santigo: Sign of change or religious revival? Review of Religious Research, 56(3), 433-442.

• Farias, M., Underwood, R., and Claridge, G. (2012) Unusual but sound minds: Mental health indicators in modern spiritual individuals. British Journal of Psychology 104 (3), 364-381. https://www.academia.edu/2311179/Unusual_but_sound_minds_Mental_health_indicators_in_modern_spiritual_individuals._British_Journal_of_Psychology_2012 

• Wiech, K., Kahane, G., Shackel, N., Farias, M., Savolescu, M., & Tracey, I. (2012). Cold or Calculating? Reduced activity in the subgenual cingulate cortex reflects decreased emotional aversion to harming in counterintuitive utilitarian judgment. Cognition, 126(3), 364-372.

• Kahane, G., Wiech, K., Shackel, N., Farias, M., Savolescu, J., & Tracey, I. (2011). The neural basis of intuitive and counterintuitive moral judgment. Social Cognitive and Affective Neurosciences, 7, 393-402. https://www.academia.edu/2311187/The_neural_basis_of_intuitive_and_counterintuitive_moral_judgment._Social_Cognitive_and_Affective_Neurosciences_2012_7_393-402 

• Newheiser, A., Farias, M., and Tausch, N. (2011) The functional nature of conspiracy beliefs: Examining the underpinnings of belief in the Da Vinci Code conspiracy. Personality and Individual Differences 51, 1007-1111. https://www.academia.edu/2311205/The_functional_nature_of_conspiracy_beliefs_Examining_the_underpinnings_of_belief_in_the_Da_Vinci_Code_conspiracy._Personality_and_Individual_Differences_2011_51_1007-1111

• Farias, M. (2010). Pain and religion: A neuropsychological approach. Religare, 6, 81-87.

• Howard, G., Hill, T., Maxwell, S., Baptista, T., Farias, M., Coelho, C., Coulter-Kern, M. & Coulter-Kern, R. (2009). What’s wrong with research literatures? And how to make them right. Review of General Psychology, 13(2), 146-166.

• Wiech, K., Farias, M., Kahane, G., Shackel, N., Tiede, W., & Tracey, I. (2009). An fMRI study measuring analgesia enhanced by religion as a belief system. PAIN, 139(2), 467-476. https://www.academia.edu/3419722/An_fMRI_study_measuring_analgesia_enhanced_by_religion_as_a_belief_system_2008_

• Farias, M. & Lalljee, M. (2008). Holistic individualism in the Age of Aquarius: Measuring individualism/collectivism in New Age, Catholic and atheist/agnostic groups. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 47(2), 277-289. https://www.academia.edu/2311245/Holistic_individualism_in_the_Age_of_Aquarius_Measuring_individualism_collectivism_in_New_Age_Catholic_and_atheist_agnostic_groups_2008_Journal_for_the_Scientific_Study_of_Religion_47_2_277-289

• Farias, M. & Lalljee, M. (2006) Empowerment in the New Age: A motivational study of autobiographical life stories. Journal of Contemporary Religion, 21 (6), 241-256. https://www.academia.edu/2311259/Empowerment_in_the_New_Age_A_motivational_study_of_autobiographical_life_stories_2006_Journal_of_Contemporary_Religion_21_6_241-256

• Farias, M. (2006). A psychological study of New Age practices and beliefs. Journal of Alternative Spiritualities and New Age Studies, 2, 105-115.

• Farias, M., Claridge, G., & Lalljee, M. (2005) Personality and cognitive predictors of New Age practices and beliefs. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 979-989. https://www.academia.edu/2311280/Personality_and_cognitive_predictors_of_New_Age_practices_and_beliefs_2005_Personality_and_Individual_Differences_39_979-989 

• Farias, M., Santos, T., and Soares, P. (2002). Religion in Portugal. In Gordon Melton and Martin Baumann (eds.) Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, vol. 3 ( 1026-1029). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio.

• Farias, M. & Santos, T. (1999). New Religious Movements in Portugal: Past, Present and Future. Sociedade e Estado, 14(1), 203-214.

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Farias, M., Brazier, D., & Lalljee, M. (2021). Introduction: Understanding and Studying Meditation In M. Farias, D. Brazier & M. Lalljee (Eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Meditation. Oxford University Press.

• Farias, M. & Coleman, T. (2021). Nonreligion, atheism, and mental health. In Spirituality and Mental Health Across Cultures: Evidence-Based Implications for Clinical Practice (Eds. Alexander Moreira-Almeida, Bruno Paz Mosqueiro, & Dinesh Bhugra). Oxford University Press.

• Farias, M., Shackel, N., & Kahane, G. (2019). The scientific study of religious belief and pain modulation: Conceptual problems. In Spirituality, Religiousness and Hhealth, edited by G. Lucchetti et al. (pp. 49-67). Springer Nature.https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-21221-6_4
• Farias, M. (2014). Inside the spiritual mind: Cognitive implications of religious versus spiritual engagement. In Present day spiritualities: Contrasts or overlap?, edited by E. Hense, F. Jespers, & P. Nissen: Leiden: Brill.

• Farias, M. (2013) The psychology of atheism. In The Oxford Handbook of Atheism. by Bullivant., S., and Ruse, M. Oxford University Press, 468-482.

• Farias, M. & Hense, E. (2008). Concepts and misconceptions in the scientific study of spirituality. In Religion, Spirituality and Social Sciences: Challenging marginalization edited by B. Spalek and A. Imtoual (pp. 163-176). Bristol, UK: Policy Press.

• Farias, M. & Granqvist, P. (2007). The psychology of the New Age. In Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J. Lewis (pp. 123-150). Leiden & Boston: Brill. https://www.academia.edu/2311247/The_psychology_of_the_New_Age_2007 

BOOKS

• Farias, M. & Wikholm, C. (2015). The Buddha Pill: Can meditation change you? London: Watkins Publishing. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Buddha-Pill-Meditation-Change/dp/1780287186

EDITED BOOKS AND JOURNAL SPECIAL ISSUES

• Farias, M., Brazier, D., & Lalljee, M. (Eds.) (2021). The Oxford Handbook of Meditation. Oxford University Press.

• Farias, M. & Barrett, J. (Guest Editors) (2013). Special issue: New trends in the cognitive science of religion. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 23(1).

• Amoroso, R., Antunes, R., Coelho, C., Farias, , Leite, A., & Soares, P. (Eds.) (2000). Science and the Primacy of Consciousness. Orinda, CA: Noetic Press.

• Farias, M., Coelho, C., Soares, P., Leite, A. & Antunes, R. (Eds.) (1998) A Vivência do Sagrado: Sociedade, Indivíduo e Tradição. Lisbon: Hugin Press.

BOOK REVIEWS

• Farias, M. (2020). The mindful elite: Mobilizing from the inside out, by Jamie Kucinskas, Oxford University Press. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
• Clemente, I. & Farias, M. (2014). The Cambridge companion to Miracles, edited by Graham H. Twelftree, Cambridge University Press. Time and Mind: The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture, 7(1), 101-104.

• Farias, M. (2012). The Anthropology of Magic, by Susan Greenwood. Time and Mind: The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture, 5(1), 117-120. https://www.academia.edu/12332540/Anthropology_of_Magic_Book_Review_2012

• Farias, M. (2008). A Season in Mecca: Narrative of a Pilgrimage, by Abdellah Hammoudi. Time and Mind: The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture, 1(2), 249-252. https://www.academia.edu/12332387/A_Season_in_Mecca_Book_Review_2008_

• Farias, M. (2005). New Age: A Guide. Alternative Spiritualities from Aquarian Conspiracy to Next Age, by Daren Kemp. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 44 (1), 113.

• Farias, M. and Coelho, C. (2000). The Last laugh: A new philosophy of near-death experiences, apparitions and the paranormal, by Raymond Moody. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 7 (5), 94.