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SUMMARY:How to measure God: Innovations in the experimental investigation 
 of religious cognition - Dr Nicholas Gibson\, Psychology and Religion Rese
 arch Group\, Faculty of Divinity\,
DTSTART:20080304T130000Z
DTEND:20080304T140000Z
UID:TALK10377@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Julain Oldmeadow
DESCRIPTION:One hallmark of evangelical Christians is their claim for a pe
 rsonal relationship with God. Though psychology cannot adjudicate on wheth
 er any such relationship exists\, it can explore whether the God schemas o
 f religious believers function in cognitively similar ways to schemas for 
 intimate others\, such as mother. Three studies adapted the self-reference
  effect paradigm (Rogers\, Kuiper\, & Kirker\, 1977) to test whether trait
 -word material encoded in relation to God was as accessible or memorable a
 s that encoded in relation to self or other targets. In Study 1\, evangeli
 cal Christians were faster to make judgments about God than about self or 
 mother whereas atheists were slower for God than for self or mother\, F(4\
 ,72)=19.56\, p<.01. Study 2 replicated this finding but additionally consi
 dered the schematic valence of the trait-word material\; whereas atheists 
 did not differe in speed for positive- and negative-schematic judgments ab
 out God (34 ms\, p=.93)\, evangelicals took longer to take negative- than 
 positive-schematic judgments about God (2226\, ms\, p<.01). Study 3 consid
 ered recall for trait-word material. Despite post-test questionnaire ratin
 gs showing that evangelical and non-evangelical Christian groups endorsed 
 similar\, more positive\, beliefs about the character of God than did athe
 ists\, only the evangelical Christians demonstrated superior recall for Go
 d-referent material (matching that for self)\, F(2\,69)=8.68\, p<.01\; non
 -evangelical Christian \nand atheist groups' recall for God-referent mater
 ial was equivalent to that for Superman. These findings suggest that evang
 elical Christians hold well-elaborated\, efficient\, and affect-laden--in 
 short\, intimate--schemas for God.
LOCATION:SPS Seminar Room
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