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Do Men and Women Have Different Images of God? |
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Written by Martin Fracker
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Monday, 15 February 2010 10:37 |
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Krejci, M. J. (1998). Gender Comparison of God Schemas: A Multidimensional Scaling Analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion (8:1), pp. 57-66.
Abstract
Previous work has speculated that men and women develop different images of God. This study identified cognitive schemas of God via multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS) in an attempt to ascertain whether a gender difference exists regarding God image. Participants (128 female and 87 male) completed a card sort of 27 words used to describe God. MDS analysis revealed that participants organize their God image around three dimensions: nurturing-judging, controlling-saving, and concrete-abstract. Men were found to place greater salience on the controlling image, but no other gender differences were found. The results are interpreted in light of methodological considerations associated with assessing cognitive schemas. |
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Prayer Motivates Forgiveness |
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Written by Martin Fracker
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Monday, 01 February 2010 16:54 |
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Lambert, N. M., Finchamm F. D., Stillman, T. F., Graham, S. M., and Beach, S. R. H. (2010). Motivating change in relationships: Can prayer increase forgiveness? Psychological Science, 21 (1): pp. 126-132.
Summary: The authors demonstrate that praying for someone who has hurt you makes forgiveness of that person more likely. This effect of prayer occurs when praying for a spouse as well as a friend and appears to be mediated by an increase in selfless concern for others. In the case of a romantic partner, the effect is immediate, occuring after praying for one's partner just once.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 February 2010 11:30 |
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Speaking in Tongues is a Learned Behavior |
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Written by Martin Fracker
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Monday, 01 February 2010 18:35 |
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Spanos, N. P., Cross, W. P., Lepage, M., and Coristine, M. (1986). Glossolalia as learned behavior: An experimental demonstration. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 95:1, pp. 21-23.
Summary: Spanos et al. provide a compelling demonstration that speaking in tongues is a learned behavior rather than the result of some type of altered state of consciousness. Their experiment simulated some of the ways that people in Pentecostal or Charismatic communities might learn to speak in tongues, including modeling, coaching, and encouragement.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 February 2010 10:24 |
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Effects of Praying the Rosary |
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Written by Martin Fracker
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Monday, 01 February 2010 18:23 |
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Bernardi, L., Sleight, P., Bandinelli, G., Cencetti, S., Fattorini, L., WdowczycSzulc, J., and Lagi, A. (2001). Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study. British Medical Journal, 323, pp. 22–29.
Summary: Praying the Catholic rosary (5 decades of the Hail Mary prayer) improves the psychological and possibly the physiological well-being of the partiicpants. Similarly beneficial effects are found for other forms of repetitive prayer as well, demonstrating that the effect is not limited to the rosary.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 February 2010 17:59 |
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Speaking in Tongues and Cerebral Blood Flow |
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Written by Martin Fracker
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Tuesday, 02 February 2010 08:31 |
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Newberg, A. B., Wintering, N. A., Morgana, D., and Waldmanb, M. R. (2006). The measurement of regional cerebral blood flow during glossolalia: A preliminary SPECT study. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging. 148, 67–71.
Summary: Experienced practitioners of speaking in tongues (glossolalia) show less cerebral activity in the prefrontal cortices, left caudate and left temporal pole but greater activity in the left superior parietal lobe and right amygdala. These results are consistent with the idea that when people speak in tongues, they are not controlling the specific sounds they make.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 February 2010 10:23 |
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