Experimentation in Psychology of Religion
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Transcript of Experimentation in Psychology of Religion
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Experimentation in Psychology of Religion
Psychology of Religion and the true experiment:Experimental
design or the true experiment: True experiments are also called
experimental designs like the ones we did at school about
chemistry or physics. For example, we might want to see what
happens to sodium when we expose it to air and compare this with
when it is exposed to water. The variable manipulated by the
experimenter is called independent variable (IV), that is its value
is not dependent upon the other variables being investigated. The
other variable in such an experiment is called the dependent
variable (DV). It is called thus because it is assumed to be
dependent upon the value of the IV. Indeed, the purpose of the
experiment is to establish or dismiss such dependence.
Manipulated IV; random allocation of participants to groups;analysis by comparison between groups.
Feasibility of the true experiment in psychology of religion: True
experiments are the best method of showing cause and effect
relationships, revealing the inadequacies of bad theory, and test
good theories (falsification principle). Attempts to increase a
persons religious intensity, to reduce sin, guilt, and self-
indulgence are worthy goals. Moreover, true experiments do not
require that the experimenter withhold religious treatments, but
he compares current methods with what he expects will be better
methods, using randomized methods. Areas of psychology of
religion where a true experiment may be applied: religious
education as an area where a number of situations conducive to
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true experiments occur. There are times in religious education
when a particular program is so popular that not everyone can be
accommodated at once. Or, the recent emphasis on growth within
many religious groups has resulted in the formation of new
churches or religious bodies. Such new units also are fertile
ground for true experiments.
Aspects related to r eligion which can be investigated under the
true experiment: Religious practices related to money as a means
of behaving in life; religious adherences related to congregational
matters; religious beliefs associated with personal religiouspractices; religiosity and religious isolation; religiousness and
the issue of communication; aspects of religious regression and
the issue of conformity to religious norms.
Quasi-experimental designs in psychology of religion:Indirect
manipulation of variables or quasi-experimental designs:
Pseudo-manipulation of IV; non-random allocation of
participants; analysis by comparison between groups. Quasi-
experimental designs permit the researcher to capitalize on much
of the theory-testing potential of experiments, second, because
they are contrasted with the experimental ideal, the researcher is
continually reminded of their inferential limitations.
Contributions of quasi-experimentation to psychology of religion:
A quasi-experimental approach highlights several potentially
valuable, but at present rarely used research designs. For example,
there is a time-series design, in which measures are taken at a
number of points in time prior to as well as following some
naturally-occurring manipulation. Such a design could be used to
examine the relationship between religious activities (revivals,
summer camps, festivals, catechetical school, worship, etc.) and
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either psychological antecedents or behavioural consequences. A
time-series design can be effective in both general theory testing
and specific program evaluation, especially if one can collect time-
series data both on individuals who do not experience the activity
in question and on individuals who do.
Quasi-experimental technique of the pretest-posttest non-
equivalent comparison group design: In this design, pre and post
manipulation measures are taken on non-comparable groups. For
example, there was conducted a study by Batson (1975), in which
junior high females on a church retreat divided themselves intotwo groups, believers in Jesus as the Son of God and non believers.
After an initial questionnaire measure of intensity of religious
belief, everyone read a contrived news story that revealed that
Christianity was a hoax. While not all participants believed the
article was true, about one-third indicated they did. Consistent
with Festingers (1957) theory of cognitive dissonance those
believers who indicated they accepted the article as true actually
expressed more intense religious belief on a subsequent
questionnaire. An increase was not observed for other groups.
Ethical issues in conducting experiments in psychology of religion:
Ethical and practical feasibility of experimentation in psychology
of religion: First there has to be sufficient time to design and set
up the study and sufficient opportunity for the study about to be
carried out to show its effectiveness in relation to the dependent
and independent variable(s) concerned. Second, the participants
taken part in the study should be fully informed of what is going
on. Especially, in experiments regarding psychology of religion,
there may be numbers of participants withdrawing from the
experiments for reasons not willing to reveal. This must be
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accepted by the experimenter, so the participant to be given the
pace to opt out without the slightest impression that his/her
withdrawal be afterwards discussed. Third, participants should feel
free to express themselves in relation to the experiment conducted,
so no misapprehension about the nature of the experiment be left
unanswered.
Formal briefing and debriefing should be followed: The
experimenter should overall and beforehand inform his/her
participants what is going to be asked/questioned/measured on
the course of the experiment. Participants should know preciselythe nature of the experiment; they should be asked to submit the
consent provided, as well as to feel free to express any query might
left unclear. After the experiment has taken place, participants
should be thanked for their cooperation and participation. They
also should be again explained what took place in that study,
should be asked about any other question during the course of
their participation, whereas, finally, to become clear once again
that the data selected will be employed for reasons of the study,
will be kept anonymity and confidentiality and there will not
revealed to any third party.
Protection of the participants: Participants will be protected
during the experiment. No experiment exhibiting participants to
any harm will be conducted, and this would be become clear to
participants before the actual experiment takes place. Also, if any
medical measure or samples are to be taken during the
experiments, such as blood and saliva samples, will be made clear
they will be not be used against the participants; any action taken
against the participants is against the law and forces any
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experiment to an end, by simultaneously destroying any data
collected so far.
Prominent measures and questionnaires in Psychology of Religion:
The Allport-Ross Religious Orientation Scale: (Wulff, p. 233).
Intrinsic and Extrinsic items. Intrinsic: I try hard to carry my
religion over into all my other dealings in life. Extrinsic: What
religion offers me most is comfort when sorrows and misfortune
strike.
Batsons twelve-item quest scale: Complexity: I was not very
interested in religion until I began to ask questions about themeaning and purpose of my life. Doubt: It might be said that I
value my religious doubts and uncertainties. Tentativeness: As I
grow and change, I expect my religion also to grow and change.
The California F(orms) Scale and the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale:
California F Scale: Obedience and respect for authority are the
most important virtues children should learn. Rokeach
Dogmatism Scale: Most people just dont know whats good for
them.
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