An analytic cognitive style negatively predicts a more literal but not a more symbolic religiosity type

ESTEBAN FREIDIN; LUZ ACERA MARTINI

The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion (IJPR)

Routledge

Año: 2022

1050-8619

The idea that a more analytic cognitive style is associated with lower religiosity is an interesting theoretical prediction that has been challenged by some empirical findings. We conducted three studies with Argentine participants (N=719) to contribute to this issue. In Study 1, we replicated the negative correlation between analytic cognitive style, measured with the Cognitive Reflection Test, and belief in supernatural agents, intrinsic, and intuitive religiosity. In Studies 2 and 3, we went beyond one-dimensional measures of religiosity, and also considered testing order effects and individual differences in need for cognitive closure. Results showed that a more analytic cognitive style negatively predicted both inclusion of a transcendent dimension in beliefs and a literal interpretation of religious ideas. Moreoever, an analytic cognitive style was negatively associated with a literal but not with a symbolic inclusion of transcendence in beliefs. In turn, higher scores of closed mindedness were positively associated with a more literal interpretation of religion. Last, we found no reliable testing order effects across studies. We conclude that present data support the hypothesis that religiosity may be negatively associated with an analytic cognitive style, but individuals who experience religion with a more symbolic approach do not accommodate to that pattern.