"For example, beliefs in heaven and hell might affect those traits by creating perceived rewards and punishments that relate to `good' and `bad' lifetime behavior."
The data come from six international surveys, including ones by Gallup, the World Bank and researchers at the University of Michigan. They include questions about attendance in places of worship and religious beliefs.
There were four measures of economic development: per capita gross domestic product, educational attainment by adults, urbanization rate and life expectancy.