Age differences in spirituality, mystical experiences and wisdom

Bibliographic Data

ID11202182
AuthorsThao N Le (0000-0002-7453-6778, Colorado State University, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume28
Issue3
Pages383-411
Publication date2008-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x0700685x
OpenAlexW2041949260
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited54

Although philosophical and contemplative traditions suggest that religiousness and spirituality are associated with wisdom, few empirical studies have examined the relationship. This paper investigates the associations between spirituality and mystical experiences and two types of wisdom: practical wisdom, primarily the ability to understand and resolve difficult life dilemmas (or an ‘expert’ knowledge system and the highest level of synthesised mental functioning), and transcendent wisdom, which goes beyond personal self-interests, biases and perceptions, and involves the ability to see things or others as they are directly. Two studies are reported. The first is of mostly older European-American and Vietnamese-American adults. It was found that mystical experiences promoted transcendent wisdom, but that the effect was moderated by self-enhancement values of power, status and achievement. The Vietnamese-American adults who reported mystical experiences and endorsed high self-enhancement values scored the lowest on transcendent wisdom. Being part of a religious or spiritual community positively associated with transcendent wisdom. On the other hand, religiousness, spirituality and mystical experiences did not relate to practical wisdom. The second study was of European-American and Vietnamese-American young adult students. It found that institutional and personal religious/spiritual practice was associated with two self-report measures of wisdom. Regardless of the mechanisms and processes associated with spirituality and mystical experiences, its fruits appear to be associated with transcendent wisdom

Contemplation · Developmental psychology · Epistemology · Mysticism · Power (physics) · Religious experience · Spiritual development · Spirituality · Theology · Vietnamese · Medicine · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being · Philosophy · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology

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