Absorption, Mentalizing, and Mysticism
Sensing the Presence of the Divine
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21875103 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Thomas J Coleman (0000-0002-3003-5090, Coventry University), Thomas J Coleman Iii, James E Bartlett (0000-0002-4191-5245, Arden University), Jenny M Holcombe, Jenny Holcombe (0000-0002-1732-4509, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), Sally B Swanson (University of Maine), Andrew Ross Atkinson (0000-0002-5865-1514, Film Independent), Andrew Atkinson (0000-0001-5834-8315), Christopher Silver (0000-0003-3952-0161, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), Christopher F Silver, Ralph W Hood (0000-0002-5165-6830, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 63-84 |
| Publication date | 2020-01-30 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2049-7555 • E-ISSN: 2049-7563 |
| Publisher | Equinox Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1558/jcsr.37551 |
| OpenAlex | W2995035616 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 57 |
Research suggests trait absorption, individual differences in Theoryof Mind (ToM), and orthopraxical training are importantfor explaining a variety of extraordinary experiences typicallyassociated with religion. However, no studies exist quantifyingToM ability or testing its relationship with trait absorption inthe prediction of what is arguably the most ubiquitous type ofextraordinary experience-the mystical experience. To addressthis, two exploratory studies were conducted using a sample ofmeditators (N = 269) and undergraduate students (N = 123). Instudy one, regression analyses revealed weekly religious/spiritualpractice, absorption, and mentalizing predict increased mysticalexperiences. Moreover, moderation analysis indicated theabsorption-mysticism relationship is stronger among individualswith lower mentalizing ability. Study two only replicated therelationship of absorption and weekly practice with mysticism.These studies highlight the robust contribution of absorption inmystical experiences and suggest a more dynamic role for mentalizingthan is accounted for in the current literature
Developmental psychology · Exploratory research · Mentalization · Moderation · Mysticism · Social science · Sociology · Theology · Trait · Computer Science · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology
Reconstructing and deconstructing the self
Tidyverse
Development of short forms of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-Short) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ-Short)
Openness to absorbing and self-altering experiences ("absorption"), a trait related to hypnotic susceptibility.
Highly religious participants recruit areas of social cognition in personal prayer
Mentalizing Deficits Constrain Belief in a Personal God
Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1
Seeking the supernatural
Individual Differences in Existential Orientation
Lord, Teach Us to Pray”
Researcher Degrees of Freedom in the Psychology of Religion
Disorganized Attachment Promotes Mystical Experiences via a Propensity for Alterations in Consciousness (Absorption)
Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Image of God as a Core Aspect of Religiousness
Theory and Methods in the Psychological Study of Mysticism
Religious Cognition and Behaviour in Autism
Mystical Experience in the Lab
Performing high‐powered studies efficiently with sequential analyses
David Lewis-Williams. Conceiving God
Explaining Religious Ideas
The psychology of religion
Absorption
The God Allusion
Correlates of Mystical and Diabolical Experiences in a Sample of Female University Students
Eliciting Mystical States of Consciousness with Semistructured Nature Experiences
Why "belief" is hard work
Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion
The Absorption Hypothesis
| Citations per year | 0.83 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2020 - 2025 (6) |
| Highly cited | No |