GETTY In his book Professor Steven Reiss tries to explain why people believe in god

Professor Steven Reiss, a psychologist at Ohio State University in the US, argues that he has at last found the answer behind why people pursue religious beliefs. He claims that religion is simply a means to satisfy all 16 basic human desires present in every human - and even goes as far to suggest that this is why religion is packed with contradictions. And in order for a religion to thrive, it must appeal to various levels of human nature, he insisted.

LINKEDIN/GETTY Professor Reiss says that for a religion to be successful it must appeal to '16 human desires'

He listed the 16 human desires as curiosity, acceptance, family, honour, idealism, independence, order, physical activity, power, romance, saving, social contact, eating, status, tranquillity and vengeance. Professor Reiss said: "It doesn't matter whether God exists or not as religious belief is aimed at fulfilling our basic human desires. "If you want to build a religion that will have a lot of followers, you have to address all of the human desires in strong form and weak form.

GETTY The professor claims religion fulfils desires such as social contact

"If you insist the only way to reach God is through mediation and study then extroverts will stay away while if you teach the opposite then introverts will stay away. "You have to have a religion that will support the values of all these people."

I think just about everything in religion is an expression of one of the 16 basic desires or a combination of them Professor Steven Reiss

Writing in a new book The 16 Strivings for God, Professor Reiss dismissed previous attempts to explain religion in terms of psychology, which focused on the theory that it provides a moral framework and is a way to cope with death. He explained that religion must appeal to all the 16 human desires, and concluded that there are different interpretations of religion because these desires are experienced in different levels by different people. Professor Reiss gave the example that a peacekeeper would be turned off by a vengeful God and instead choose to believe in a forgiving God.

GETTY 100,000 people were survey to help reach this conclusion

He came to his conclusion after surveying 100,000 people about how they embrace different goals. He said: "We have looked at about 270 different religious beliefs and practices and how they connect to basic human desires. "I think just about everything in religion is an expression of one of the 16 basic desires or a combination of them. "For example, if you are extremely ambitious, you will value achievement much more than the normal person. God is seen as the creator of the universe, which must be the ultimate achievement, so that will appeal to you.