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Cited by 95Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyParanormal Experiences and BeliefsReligion and Society Interactions

“Spiritual but not religious”: Cognition, schizotypy, and conversion in alternative beliefs

Willard, Aiyana K., Norenzayan, Ara·2017·Cognition
DOI 10.1016/j.cognition.2017.05.018
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Abstract

The spiritual but not religious (SBNR) are a growing population in secularizing societies. Yet, we know little about the underlying psychology of this group or their belief profile. Based on an individual difference approach, we address this knowledge gap by comparing SBNR with religious and non-religious participants. In a sample of Americans (n=1013), we find that the SBNR differ from non-religious and religious participants in a number of ways. SBNR participants are more likely to hold paranormal beliefs and to have an experiential relationship to the supernatural (e.g. have mystical experiences and feelings of universal connectedness), but are similar to religious participants in their profile of cognitive biases. SBNR participants score higher on measures of schizotypy than the religious or non-religious. Reported conversions from one group (religious, SBNR, or non-religious) to another since childhood corresponds with predictable differences in cognitive biases, with dualism predicting conversion to religion and schizotypy predicting conversion to SBNR.

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  • The rise of secularism and decline of religious activity in modern western society also appears to in part be a cultural precursor to a rise in spirituality within those who self-identify as spiritual-but-not-religious.

    “Paradoxically, the rise of secularism and decline of religious activity in modern western society also appears to in part be a cultural precursor to a rise in spirituality within those who self-identify as spiritual-but-not-religious (Willard and Norenzayan 2017).”

    From Cultural Evolution of Religion, Spirituality and Ritual: Impacts On Human Cooperation (2024) · cites this paper as Willard and Norenzayan 2017

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Authors
Willard, A. K., & Norenzayan, A.
Affiliations
The University of Texas at Austin (US)
Corresponding author
Willard, Aiyana K.
ORCID
Willard, Aiyana K.
Venue
Cognition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-08
Volume
165
Pages
137-146
ISSN
0010-0277 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.cognition.2017.05.018
OpenAlex
W2619562286
Cited by
95
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 1
FWCI
12.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Cognition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Brunel University Research Archive (BURA) (Brunel University London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
Keywords
spiritual but not religious, schizotypy, religious conversion, supernatural beliefs, mystical experience, cognitive biases, dualism, secularization
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cognition, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Parapsychology, Religion, United States, Spirituality, Young Adult, Theory of Mind

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