The effect of religious priming on recalled regrets

Recent research has demonstrated the effects of religious priming on cognition and behavior in the present. For example, priming participants with religious concepts promotes cooperation in economic games (Shariff & Norenzayan, 2007) and increases public self-awareness (Gervais & Norenzayan, 2012). Theories used to explain these effects typically focus on religion’s role in regulating social and moral behavior and building and binding together cooperative communities (e.g., Graham & Haidt, 2010; Shariff, et al., 2009). Several religions incorporate reflections on past behavior as part of their religious practice. Might religious priming also serve to affect how people think about their pasts? Research suggests that feelings of regret help to regulate behavior by making decision-making processes more careful (Reb, 2008) and behavior less risky (Richard, van der Pligt, & de Vries, 1996). Likewise, repetitively recalling regrets can promote improved behavior (Morrison, 2012). Based on these findings, I predicted that religious priming would influence the recall of regrets in four ways: (1) by making interpersonal regrets more accessible, (2) by increasing the experience of self-conscious emotions, (3) by making regrets more likely to be framed as actions (rather than inactions), and (4) by making moral regrets more accessible. Although four studies found no consistent evidence for any of these hypotheses, a meta-analysis of the reported studies revealed a small effect of religious priming on recall of interpersonal regrets. I discuss the implications for theories of religion.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Salomon, Erika

Contributors dc:contributor

• Preston, Jesse L.
• Kraus, Michael W.

• religious cognition
• priming
• regrets
• counterfactual thinking

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2013 Erika Salomon

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/44172

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/44172