Pub Date : 2023-04-24DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2023.2196898
K. Messick, J. Jong, V. van Mulukom, M. Farias
ABSTRACT The psychological functions of the nontheistic sacred in a secular context (metal music culture) were examined for their consistency with previous studies of the sacred in religious contexts using two studies. The first experiment examined music as a form of nontheistic sacred through a comparison of death metal fans (n = 89) listening to death metal or hard rock. The second experiment examined how some metal cultural artifacts were perceived as sacred by metal fans (n = 52), and how their loss or defilement was experienced when compared to non-sacred artifacts. The first experiment found that the death metal music was perceived as more sacred than hard rock music to the metal community, it promoted higher levels of positive affect, and it was associated with significantly higher levels of prosocial behavioral intentions, social relatedness, mood maintenance, and self-awareness, with no differences in empathy and negative affect. The second experiment found that acts of desecration of sacred items, when compared to non-sacred items, led to a higher state of anger and the loss of the items led to significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety. The two experiments present evidence that the nontheistic sacred is experienced within the secular context of metal music in terms of functions and effects consistent with previous literature exploring the sacred in religious contexts.
{"title":"The Nontheistic Sacred: The Psychological Functions of Metal Music and Artifacts","authors":"K. Messick, J. Jong, V. van Mulukom, M. Farias","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2023.2196898","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2023.2196898","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The psychological functions of the nontheistic sacred in a secular context (metal music culture) were examined for their consistency with previous studies of the sacred in religious contexts using two studies. The first experiment examined music as a form of nontheistic sacred through a comparison of death metal fans (n = 89) listening to death metal or hard rock. The second experiment examined how some metal cultural artifacts were perceived as sacred by metal fans (n = 52), and how their loss or defilement was experienced when compared to non-sacred artifacts. The first experiment found that the death metal music was perceived as more sacred than hard rock music to the metal community, it promoted higher levels of positive affect, and it was associated with significantly higher levels of prosocial behavioral intentions, social relatedness, mood maintenance, and self-awareness, with no differences in empathy and negative affect. The second experiment found that acts of desecration of sacred items, when compared to non-sacred items, led to a higher state of anger and the loss of the items led to significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety. The two experiments present evidence that the nontheistic sacred is experienced within the secular context of metal music in terms of functions and effects consistent with previous literature exploring the sacred in religious contexts.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":"33 1","pages":"198 - 213"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48250476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-24DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2023.2203621
R. Hood
{"title":"God and Psychology: How the Early Religious Development of Famous Psychologists Influenced their Work","authors":"R. Hood","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2023.2203621","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2023.2203621","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":"33 1","pages":"246 - 247"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46599188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-13DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2023.2185369
Robson Savoldi, A. Roazzi, Rita Clara de Oliveira Sales
ABSTRACT Mystical and even ego-dissolution experiences can be elicited from entheogens, like sacred potions of ayahuasca and jurema. Although composed of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and having met at a historical moment, ayahuasca and jurema have different rituals, symbolic references, and origins. This article aims to describe ayahuasca and jurema rituals, in psychometric measures of mysticism and ego-dissolution experience and set/settings. Observational data were collected through the Hood Mysticism Scale and Ego Dissolution Inventory in a sample of 26 participants, and semi-structured interviews (n = 7), in a natural environment. Results showed that in the ayahuasca session, means for temporal quality, ineffability, and religious quality were significantly higher than in the jurema session, but no significant differences were found in the other facets of the ego-dissolution. In the ayahuasca session, EDI was positively significantly correlated with temporal and unifying quality, whereas in the jurema session, EDI was positively significantly correlated with religious, unifying, and inner subjectivity qualities. Ethnographic observations and interviews reveal that the setting plays a key role in those differences and the meaning of the experience. More studies are needed to improve our understanding of how the set/setting interacts in mystical experiences.
{"title":"Mystical and Ego-Dissolution Experiences in Ayahuasca and Jurema Holistic Rituals: An Exploratory Study","authors":"Robson Savoldi, A. Roazzi, Rita Clara de Oliveira Sales","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2023.2185369","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2023.2185369","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Mystical and even ego-dissolution experiences can be elicited from entheogens, like sacred potions of ayahuasca and jurema. Although composed of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and having met at a historical moment, ayahuasca and jurema have different rituals, symbolic references, and origins. This article aims to describe ayahuasca and jurema rituals, in psychometric measures of mysticism and ego-dissolution experience and set/settings. Observational data were collected through the Hood Mysticism Scale and Ego Dissolution Inventory in a sample of 26 participants, and semi-structured interviews (n = 7), in a natural environment. Results showed that in the ayahuasca session, means for temporal quality, ineffability, and religious quality were significantly higher than in the jurema session, but no significant differences were found in the other facets of the ego-dissolution. In the ayahuasca session, EDI was positively significantly correlated with temporal and unifying quality, whereas in the jurema session, EDI was positively significantly correlated with religious, unifying, and inner subjectivity qualities. Ethnographic observations and interviews reveal that the setting plays a key role in those differences and the meaning of the experience. More studies are needed to improve our understanding of how the set/setting interacts in mystical experiences.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49404014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-30DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2023.2192106
Jo-Ann Tsang, Jay M. Medenwaldt, Hilary N. Alwood, Jenae M. Nelson, Sarah A. Schnitker
ABSTRACT We test the effectiveness of 2 different written inductions of gratitude toward God and analyze the content and outcomes of these gratitude expressions. We recruited 1,170 predominantly Christian U.S. participants across 3 CloudResearch datasets. Participants were randomly assigned to write about gratitude to God or another benefactor, including people, parents, country, and unspecified benefactors, or to write about their daily activities. Study 2 further probed nuances related to control group instructions, and Study 3 examined outcome measures related to well-being and prosociality. The participants who wrote about gratitude toward God more frequently mentioned basic needs and self-transcendence and less frequently mentioned material items compared to other benefactors. They also showed high levels of expansive emotions and religious intentions. Our research provides methodological insights relevant to gratitude writing inductions and sheds light on the content and outcomes of gratitude toward God.
{"title":"Writing About Gratitude Toward God Produces Differential Content and Outcomes Compared to Gratitude Toward Other Benefactors Among U.S. Adults","authors":"Jo-Ann Tsang, Jay M. Medenwaldt, Hilary N. Alwood, Jenae M. Nelson, Sarah A. Schnitker","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2023.2192106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2023.2192106","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We test the effectiveness of 2 different written inductions of gratitude toward God and analyze the content and outcomes of these gratitude expressions. We recruited 1,170 predominantly Christian U.S. participants across 3 CloudResearch datasets. Participants were randomly assigned to write about gratitude to God or another benefactor, including people, parents, country, and unspecified benefactors, or to write about their daily activities. Study 2 further probed nuances related to control group instructions, and Study 3 examined outcome measures related to well-being and prosociality. The participants who wrote about gratitude toward God more frequently mentioned basic needs and self-transcendence and less frequently mentioned material items compared to other benefactors. They also showed high levels of expansive emotions and religious intentions. Our research provides methodological insights relevant to gratitude writing inductions and sheds light on the content and outcomes of gratitude toward God.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":"33 1","pages":"169 - 197"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45270913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-28DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2023.2192078
Hans Van Eyghen
ABSTRACT A increasing number of studies points toward beneficial effects of psychedelic experiences if administered in the right setting. A smaller number of studies present explanations for why psychedelics have these therapeutic effects. Of these most argue that psychedelic experiences increase neuroplasticity, allowing subjects to let go of unhelpful entrenched beliefs. I argue that (1) psychedelics are likely therapeutic because they help subjects align their beliefs with their respective contexts; (2) relaxation of entrenched beliefs need not occur at higher cognitive levels concerned with the self or ego to be therapeutic; and (3) the proneness toward having supernatural entity experiences can be explained using this contextual approach. I conclude that therapeutic effects of psychedelics are not necessarily tied to beliefs about the self.
{"title":"Psychedelics and the Entropic Brain Beyond the Self","authors":"Hans Van Eyghen","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2023.2192078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2023.2192078","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A increasing number of studies points toward beneficial effects of psychedelic experiences if administered in the right setting. A smaller number of studies present explanations for why psychedelics have these therapeutic effects. Of these most argue that psychedelic experiences increase neuroplasticity, allowing subjects to let go of unhelpful entrenched beliefs. I argue that (1) psychedelics are likely therapeutic because they help subjects align their beliefs with their respective contexts; (2) relaxation of entrenched beliefs need not occur at higher cognitive levels concerned with the self or ego to be therapeutic; and (3) the proneness toward having supernatural entity experiences can be explained using this contextual approach. I conclude that therapeutic effects of psychedelics are not necessarily tied to beliefs about the self.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48935464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-19DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2023.2168935
Heng Li
ABSTRACT Risk compensation theory posits that high-risk environments lead to more cautiousness or conservatism. Previous research has shown that reminders of God’s protection can evoke a strong feeling of safety. Drawing on this literature, we develop a theoretical perspective that activating God-related concepts can boost overconfidence level by cultivating a sense of security. Three studies, spanning diverse populations (Chinese Han and Bai people), multiple methods measuring overconfidence (the peer-comparison problem and the general knowledge test), and multiple manipulations designed to activate God-related concepts (a scrambled-sentence priming task and a reading task), support our theory. In Experiment 1, student participants who had been primed with God concepts displayed a higher level of overconfidence than those primed with neutral concepts. Employing a multiple-item measure gauging people’s overconfidence, Experiment 2 replicated these effects in non-student adults. Experiment 3 found that these effects can generalize to an understudied minority ethnic group of Bai. Importantly, Experiments 1 through 3 provided consistent evidence that the relationship between God-related thoughts and overconfidence was mediated by the sense of security. On the basis of our findings, we propose that the salience of God plays a causal role in shaping the overconfidence heuristic-driven bias.
{"title":"Let God Judge Between Me and Thee: Activating God-Related Concepts Increases Overconfidence in Chinese Han and Bai People","authors":"Heng Li","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2023.2168935","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2023.2168935","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Risk compensation theory posits that high-risk environments lead to more cautiousness or conservatism. Previous research has shown that reminders of God’s protection can evoke a strong feeling of safety. Drawing on this literature, we develop a theoretical perspective that activating God-related concepts can boost overconfidence level by cultivating a sense of security. Three studies, spanning diverse populations (Chinese Han and Bai people), multiple methods measuring overconfidence (the peer-comparison problem and the general knowledge test), and multiple manipulations designed to activate God-related concepts (a scrambled-sentence priming task and a reading task), support our theory. In Experiment 1, student participants who had been primed with God concepts displayed a higher level of overconfidence than those primed with neutral concepts. Employing a multiple-item measure gauging people’s overconfidence, Experiment 2 replicated these effects in non-student adults. Experiment 3 found that these effects can generalize to an understudied minority ethnic group of Bai. Importantly, Experiments 1 through 3 provided consistent evidence that the relationship between God-related thoughts and overconfidence was mediated by the sense of security. On the basis of our findings, we propose that the salience of God plays a causal role in shaping the overconfidence heuristic-driven bias.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":"33 1","pages":"155 - 168"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48735831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2022.2064110
C. Mackey, Kimberly Rios
ABSTRACT Research has examined how Jews, Muslims, atheists, and agnostics react to feelings of social identity threat (i.e., the perception that one’s group is devalued or stigmatized). However, no research so far has compared reactions between religious minorities (RMs; Jews and Muslims) and nonreligious individuals (NRs; atheists and agnostics) in general. Concealment of identity appears to be lower among RMs than among NRs, although this possibility has not been directly tested. A pilot study was conducted to assess differences in identity concealment between RMs and NRs under social identity threat. Nonreligious individuals were more likely than Jews and Muslims to conceal their religious identity to avoid social identity threat. Furthermore, concealment was related to having less group identity (lower identity centrality). The main study replicated this effect with a larger sample. Implications for managing social identity threat among these groups and directions for future research are discussed.
{"title":"Identity Centrality, Social Identity Threat, and Differences in Concealment between Religious Minorities and Nonreligious Individuals","authors":"C. Mackey, Kimberly Rios","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2022.2064110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2022.2064110","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Research has examined how Jews, Muslims, atheists, and agnostics react to feelings of social identity threat (i.e., the perception that one’s group is devalued or stigmatized). However, no research so far has compared reactions between religious minorities (RMs; Jews and Muslims) and nonreligious individuals (NRs; atheists and agnostics) in general. Concealment of identity appears to be lower among RMs than among NRs, although this possibility has not been directly tested. A pilot study was conducted to assess differences in identity concealment between RMs and NRs under social identity threat. Nonreligious individuals were more likely than Jews and Muslims to conceal their religious identity to avoid social identity threat. Furthermore, concealment was related to having less group identity (lower identity centrality). The main study replicated this effect with a larger sample. Implications for managing social identity threat among these groups and directions for future research are discussed.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":"33 1","pages":"52 - 68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42208307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-05DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2022.2148060
P. Johnstad
ABSTRACT Investigations of the use of psychedelic or entheogenic drugs in spiritual contexts have focused on mystical experience. Arguing that entheogenic spirituality should be understood more broadly, this study recruited 319 individuals into an online survey. Respondents were predominantly from western countries, but reported a connection to an eclectic range of religious and spiritual traditions, with Buddhism as the largest religion. About half of the respondents reported having a meditation practice, and the most endorsed motivations for entheogen use related to personal growth and spirituality. For spiritually motivated respondents, entheogenic experiences were most commonly characterized by feelings of joy, peace, and love, by insight into oneself and one’s relations, and by improved connections with nature and with other people. Spiritually affiliated participants were more likely to report mystical experiences involving ego dissolution and contact or unity experiences and reported more positive long-term consequences from entheogen use. The study affirms the existence of a movement of spiritually motivated entheogen users that requires further investigation.
{"title":"Entheogenic Spirituality: Characteristics of Spiritually Motivated Psychedelics Use","authors":"P. Johnstad","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2022.2148060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2022.2148060","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Investigations of the use of psychedelic or entheogenic drugs in spiritual contexts have focused on mystical experience. Arguing that entheogenic spirituality should be understood more broadly, this study recruited 319 individuals into an online survey. Respondents were predominantly from western countries, but reported a connection to an eclectic range of religious and spiritual traditions, with Buddhism as the largest religion. About half of the respondents reported having a meditation practice, and the most endorsed motivations for entheogen use related to personal growth and spirituality. For spiritually motivated respondents, entheogenic experiences were most commonly characterized by feelings of joy, peace, and love, by insight into oneself and one’s relations, and by improved connections with nature and with other people. Spiritually affiliated participants were more likely to report mystical experiences involving ego dissolution and contact or unity experiences and reported more positive long-term consequences from entheogen use. The study affirms the existence of a movement of spiritually motivated entheogen users that requires further investigation.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47518541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-05DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2022.2139502
Arne Bohn, Michiel H. H. Kiggen, M. V. Uthaug, K. V. van Oorsouw, J. Ramaekers, H. V. van Schie
ABSTRACT San Pedro, a mescaline containing cactus, has been used for thousands of years and is currently popular as a psychedelic substance in ceremonial retreats in Europe. The current research investigates the consciousness altering effects of San Pedro. Forty-two participants who joined ceremonial psychedelic retreats in the Netherlands were investigated with questionnaires probing 11 dimensions of altered states of consciousness (11D-ASC), ego-dissolution, mystical experiences, and challenging experiences. Results tentatively demonstrate the status of San Pedro as a psychedelic, revealing deviations from normal waking consciousness on all 11 subscales of the 11D-ASC, moderate scores of ego-dissolution, and a complete mystical experience in two thirds of the participants. Furthermore, a consciousness profile of San Pedro was constructed, which revealed that spiritual experiences are strongly expressed in ceremonial San Pedro use. Furthermore, the San Pedro experience is characterized by low levels of disembodiment, anxiety, impaired control and cognition, transcendence of space, and relatively higher levels of physical distress and grief in case of (incidental) challenging experiences. Finally, graph network analysis indicated two separate networks of positive and negative altered states of consciousness. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed in relation to the ceremonial setting, sympathomimetic effects of San Pedro’s alkaloids and variations in affective valence.
{"title":"Altered States of Consciousness During Ceremonial San Pedro Use","authors":"Arne Bohn, Michiel H. H. Kiggen, M. V. Uthaug, K. V. van Oorsouw, J. Ramaekers, H. V. van Schie","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2022.2139502","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2022.2139502","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT San Pedro, a mescaline containing cactus, has been used for thousands of years and is currently popular as a psychedelic substance in ceremonial retreats in Europe. The current research investigates the consciousness altering effects of San Pedro. Forty-two participants who joined ceremonial psychedelic retreats in the Netherlands were investigated with questionnaires probing 11 dimensions of altered states of consciousness (11D-ASC), ego-dissolution, mystical experiences, and challenging experiences. Results tentatively demonstrate the status of San Pedro as a psychedelic, revealing deviations from normal waking consciousness on all 11 subscales of the 11D-ASC, moderate scores of ego-dissolution, and a complete mystical experience in two thirds of the participants. Furthermore, a consciousness profile of San Pedro was constructed, which revealed that spiritual experiences are strongly expressed in ceremonial San Pedro use. Furthermore, the San Pedro experience is characterized by low levels of disembodiment, anxiety, impaired control and cognition, transcendence of space, and relatively higher levels of physical distress and grief in case of (incidental) challenging experiences. Finally, graph network analysis indicated two separate networks of positive and negative altered states of consciousness. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed in relation to the ceremonial setting, sympathomimetic effects of San Pedro’s alkaloids and variations in affective valence.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44482489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-05DOI: 10.1080/10508619.2022.2148062
Julie J. Exline, William A. Schutt, Kathleen C. Pait, J. Wilt
ABSTRACT Could psychedelic use open the door to messages from supernatural entities, including God, the devil, or human or nature spirits? Might psychedelics allow a glimpse of some transcendent domain, consciousness, or self that exists beyond the material world? We were interested in how people’s answers to these questions would relate to their attitudes about psychedelic use, legalization, and desire to use psychedelics if given a safe opportunity. After preregistering key hypotheses on the Open Science Framework, we recruited U. S. adults (final N = 800) to complete an online survey. Participants expected psychedelics to prompt psychological messages (from the brain or subconscious) more than spiritual messages, which were typically endorsed more than explicitly supernatural messages; however, even supernatural messages received moderate endorsement. As predicted, seeing psychedelics as a doorway to positive spiritual or supernatural messages (from a transcendent spiritual domain, God, human spirits, nature spirits) was linked with more positive attitudes about psychedelics, more favoring of their legalization, and more past use and interest in personal use. As expected, attitudes about psychedelics were less favorable among those who saw them as doorways to negative messages, either from supernatural evil (devil, demons, evil spirits) or from one’s own mind (dark side, shadow self, “inner demons”). Beliefs in supernatural messages via psychedelics were linked with stronger supernatural beliefs, more prior psychedelic use, younger age, self-identifying as spiritual, more past experiences seen as supernatural (in general and involving psychedelics), and greater approval of psychedelics by one’s religious community (where applicable). In summary, many people see psychedelics as potential sources of supernatural messages. These supernatural attributions, in turn, are closely linked with attitudes, behaviors, and past experiences related to psychedelic use.
{"title":"Do Psychedelic Trips Open the Door to Messages from God, Spirits, Transcendent Realities, or the Devil? Links with Attitudes About Psychedelics, Opinions About Legalization, and Interest in Personal Use","authors":"Julie J. Exline, William A. Schutt, Kathleen C. Pait, J. Wilt","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2022.2148062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2022.2148062","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Could psychedelic use open the door to messages from supernatural entities, including God, the devil, or human or nature spirits? Might psychedelics allow a glimpse of some transcendent domain, consciousness, or self that exists beyond the material world? We were interested in how people’s answers to these questions would relate to their attitudes about psychedelic use, legalization, and desire to use psychedelics if given a safe opportunity. After preregistering key hypotheses on the Open Science Framework, we recruited U. S. adults (final N = 800) to complete an online survey. Participants expected psychedelics to prompt psychological messages (from the brain or subconscious) more than spiritual messages, which were typically endorsed more than explicitly supernatural messages; however, even supernatural messages received moderate endorsement. As predicted, seeing psychedelics as a doorway to positive spiritual or supernatural messages (from a transcendent spiritual domain, God, human spirits, nature spirits) was linked with more positive attitudes about psychedelics, more favoring of their legalization, and more past use and interest in personal use. As expected, attitudes about psychedelics were less favorable among those who saw them as doorways to negative messages, either from supernatural evil (devil, demons, evil spirits) or from one’s own mind (dark side, shadow self, “inner demons”). Beliefs in supernatural messages via psychedelics were linked with stronger supernatural beliefs, more prior psychedelic use, younger age, self-identifying as spiritual, more past experiences seen as supernatural (in general and involving psychedelics), and greater approval of psychedelics by one’s religious community (where applicable). In summary, many people see psychedelics as potential sources of supernatural messages. These supernatural attributions, in turn, are closely linked with attitudes, behaviors, and past experiences related to psychedelic use.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43263648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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