The Computations Underlying Religious Conversion
A Bayesian Decision Model
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12822953 |
|---|---|
| Authors | F Rigoli (0000-0003-2233-934X, City, University of London, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Pages | 241-257 |
| Publication date | 2023-04-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Cognition and Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1567-7095 • E-ISSN: 1568-5373 |
| Publisher | Brill (PUBLISHER • NL) |
| DOI | 10.1163/15685373-12340161 |
| OpenAlex | W4362671736 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 35 |
Inspired by recent Bayesian interpretations about the psychology underlying religion, the paper introduces a theory proposing that religious conversion is shaped by three factors: (i) novel relevant information, experienced in perceptual or in social form (e.g., following interaction with missionaries); (ii) changes in the utility (e.g., expressed in an opportunity to raise in social rank) associated with accepting a new religious creed; and (iii) prior beliefs, favouring religious faiths that, although new, still remain consistent with entrenched cultural views (resulting in the phenomenon of syncretism). From the theory, a multifactorial picture of conversion emerges. Based on which factor is primarily engaged in each case, a classification of different types of conversion can be derived, with a remarkable fit with empirical literature. The theory offers a description of the processes underlying religious conversion and, highlighting the links among apparently incompatible previous views, it reconciles these views within a unifying framework
Bayesian probability · Creed · Epistemology · Phenomenon · Psychology of religion · Religious conversion · Sociology · Syncretism (linguistics · Computer Science · Culture, Economy, and Development Studies · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Religious studies · Social Psychology · Artificial Intelligence
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |