Modes of Religiosity: Towards a Cognitive Explanation of the Sociopolitical Dynamics of Religion
Open accessAbstract
In this article is summarized the theory of "modes of religiosity", the doctrinal mode and the imagistic mode. It seeks to contribute to a growing body of research, by explaining, in terms of underlying cognitive mechanisms, some of the varied ways in which religious commitments are experienced, organized, transmitted, and politicized.
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Trance states induced by processes including ecstatic dance, extreme rituals involving threat to body safety, and sensory deprivation are often components of high-arousal, imagistic rituals that create greater group cohesion through the shared experience of intense stimulation.
“Trance states induced by processes including ecstatic dance (union of synchronistic motion with sound (Nummenmaa et al. 2012; Wiltermuth and Heath 2009)), extreme rituals involving threat to body safety (i.e. the cavadee, sun dance, firewalking-see Fischer and Xygalatas 2014; Xygalatas et al. 2013; Fischer et al. 2014) and sensory deprivation are often components of high-arousal, imagistic rituals”
From Cultural Evolution of Religion, Spirituality and Ritual: Impacts On Human Cooperation (2024) · cites this paper as Whitehouse 2002
The regular practice of effortful religious rituals signals personal commitment and builds implicit self-control over time, promoting adaptive behaviors that enhance health and well-being.
“The regular practice of effortful religious rituals signals personal commitment and builds implicit selfcontrol over time, promoting adaptive behaviors that enhance health and well-being (Whitehouse, 2002;Wood, 2016).”
From The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and Process-Based Framework (2018) · cites this paper as Whitehouse, 2002
Cites
Implicit memory: History and current status.
Schacter, D. L. (1987) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition · doi:10.1037/0278-7393.13.3.501 · Cited by 2,983 · cited 1× · see citing works
“In the 1 The dividing lines between explicit and implicit memory are difficult to draw (for a fine overview, see Schachter 1987), but evidence from studies of normal cognition (e.g., Roediger 1990) and amnesic patients (e.g. Graf, Squire, and Mandler 1984) show that such a distinction (or a series…”
BackgroundEmotional stress and eyewitness memory: A critical review
Christianson, S.-Å. (1992) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.112.2.284 · Cited by 1,112 · see citing works
Faces in the Clouds: A New Theory of Religion
McCutcheon, R. T., & Guthrie, S. E. (1994) · Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion · doi:10.2307/1386639 · Cited by 200 · cited 1× · see citing works
“…has shown in increasing detail that evolved properties of human mental architecture constrain and shape religious representations and the forms of action and social morphology in which these are implicated (e.g., Lawson and McCauley 1990; Guthrie 1993; Mithen 1996; Barrett 2000; Boyer 2001).”
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Richerson, P., Baldini, R., Bell, A. V., Demps, K., Frost, K., Hillis, V., Mathew, S., Newton, E. K., Naar, N., Newson, L., et al. (2016) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x1400106x · Cited by 639 · see citing works
Ramstead, M. J. D., Veissière, S. P. L., & Kirmayer, L. J. (2016) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01090 · Cited by 422 · see citing works
The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and Process-Based Framework
Hobson, N. M., Schroeder, J., Risen, J. L., Xygalatas, D., & Inzlicht, M. (2018) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868317734944 · Cited by 354 · see citing works
“The regular practice of effortful religious rituals signals personal commitment and builds implicit selfcontrol over time, promoting adaptive behaviors that enhance health and well-being (Whitehouse, 2002; Wood, 2016).”
BackgroundThe essential role of ritual in the transmission and reinforcement of social norms.
Rossano, M. J. (2012) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0027038 · Cited by 315 · see citing works
Enacting rituals to improve self-control.
Tian, A. D., Schroeder, J., Häubl, G., Risen, J. L., Norton, M. I., & Gino, F. (2018) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/pspa0000113 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
RetractedCultural Evolution of Religion, Spirituality and Ritual: Impacts On Human Cooperation
McNamara, R. A. (2024) · KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie · doi:10.1007/s11577-024-00937-3 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…Fischer and Xygalatas 2014; Xygalatas et al. 2013; Fischer et al. 2014) and sensory deprivation are often components of high-arousal, imagistic rituals that create greater group cohesion through the shared experience of intense stimulation (Atkinson and Whitehouse 2011; Whitehouse 2002).”
- Authors
- Whitehouse, H.
- Corresponding author
- Whitehouse, Harvey
- ORCID
- Whitehouse, Harvey
- Venue
- Method & Theory in the Study of Religion
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Published
- 2002
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 293-315
- ISSN
- 0943-3058 (ISSN-L)
- 1570-0682
- OpenAlex
- W2042396466
- Cited by
- 186
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 37.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Method & Theory in the Study of Religion (publishedVersion)
- Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) (University of Oxford) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Study and Philosophy of Religion
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- religious commitment, politicization of religion, religious experience
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