Document Detail


Faith and unfaithfulness: can praying for your partner reduce infidelity?
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20718545     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Process    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Because religion and/or spirituality is integral to the lives of a majority of the world population, we conducted 3 studies on the role of prayer in romantic relationships. Study 1 (N = 375) showed that prayer for the partner predicted lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior over a 6-week period, over and beyond relationship satisfaction, and initial levels of extradyadic romantic behavior. In Study 2 (N = 83), we used an experimental design to show that participants assigned to pray for each day for 4 weeks engaged in lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior during that time, compared with those who engaged in daily positive thoughts about the partner or a neutral activity. Perception of the relationship as sacred mediated the relation between experimentally manipulated prayer and later infidelity. Study 3 (N = 23) showed that objective observers rated participants who had been praying for their partner for 4 weeks as more committed to their romantic relationship than control participants. The implications of these results are then discussed. Because religion and/or spirituality is integral to the lives of a majority of the world population, we conducted 3 studies on the role of prayer in romantic relationships. Study 1 (N = 375) showed that prayer for the partner predicted lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior over a 6-week period, over and beyond relationship satisfaction, and initial levels of extradyadic romantic behavior. In Study 2 (N = 83), we used an experimental design to show that participants assigned to pray for each day for 4 weeks engaged in lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior during that time, compared with those who engaged in daily positive thoughts about the partner or a neutral activity. Perception of the relationship as sacred mediated the relation between experimentally manipulated prayer and later infidelity. Study 3 (N = 23) showed that objective observers rated participants who had been praying for their partner for 4 weeks as more committed to their romantic relationship than control participants. The implications of these results are then discussed.
Authors:
Frank D Fincham; Nathaniel M Lambert; Steven R H Beach
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of personality and social psychology     Volume:  99     ISSN:  1939-1315     ISO Abbreviation:  J Pers Soc Psychol     Publication Date:  2010 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-10-05     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0014171     Medline TA:  J Pers Soc Psychol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  649-59     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Family Institute, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1491, USA. ffincham@fsu.edu
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Erratum In:
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2010 Oct;99(4):594

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