An Initial Investigation of the Role of Death Concerns In Evaluations of Metaphoric Language About God
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2021
School
Psychology
Abstract
Past research suggests that death pushes some individuals to strongly promote religious worldviews. The current work explores the role of conceptual metaphor in this process. Past research shows that metaphors can provide meaning and certainty, suggesting that death may therefore cause people to be more attracted to epistemically beneficial metaphoric descriptions of God. In three studies, we test this possibility against competing alternatives suggesting that death concerns may cause more selective metaphor preferences. Using both correlational (Study 1 and pre-registered replication) and experimental (Study 2) methods, we find that death concern is generally associated with embracing metaphors about God.
Publication Title
Archive for the Psychology of Religion
Volume
43
Issue
2
First Page
135
Last Page
160
Recommended Citation
Keefer, L.,
Brown, F.,
Rials, T.
(2021). An Initial Investigation of the Role of Death Concerns In Evaluations of Metaphoric Language About God. Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 43(2), 135-160.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/19233