Document Detail


Reactive approach motivation (RAM) for religion.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20565192     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In 3 experiments, participants reacted with religious zeal to anxious uncertainty threats that have caused reactive approach motivation (RAM) in past research (see McGregor, Nash, Mann, & Phills, 2010, for implicit, explicit, and neural evidence of RAM). In Study 1, results were specific to religious ideals and did not extend to merely superstitious beliefs. Effects were most pronounced among the most anxious and uncertainty-averse participants in Study 1 and among the most approach-motivated participants in Study 2 (i.e., with high Promotion Focus, Behavioral Activation, Action Orientation, and Self-Esteem Scale scores). In Studies 2 and 3, anxious uncertainty threats amplified even the most jingoistic and extreme aspects of religious zeal. In Study 3, reactive religious zeal occurred only among participants who reported feeling disempowered in their everyday goals in life. Results support a RAM view of empowered religious idealism for anxiety management (cf. Armstrong, 2000; Inzlicht, McGregor, Hirsch, & Nash, 2009).
Authors:
Ian McGregor; Kyle Nash; Mike Prentice
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of personality and social psychology     Volume:  99     ISSN:  1939-1315     ISO Abbreviation:  J Pers Soc Psychol     Publication Date:  2010 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-06-22     Completed Date:  2010-10-01     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0014171     Medline TA:  J Pers Soc Psychol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  148-61     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ianmc@yorku.ca
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Anxiety / psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Motivation*
Personality
Personality Tests
Religion
Religion and Psychology*
Self Concept
Social Values
Superstitions / psychology
Uncertainty
Young Adult

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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