Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science
July 1, 2013
Will M Gervais
116 citations
People commonly conceive of gods as intentional agents with humanlike mental lives. This regularity arises because the human capacity to perceive minds, a basic cognitive ability, both enables and constrains belief in gods. Mind perception influences individual differences in religious beliefs, implicit representations of supernatural agents, and nonreligious experience. Reminders of gods and cues of social surveillance, such as audiences or video cameras, produce similar effects on prosocial behavior, socially desirable responding, and self-awareness. Converging evidence indicates that mind perception is both a cause and a consequence of many religious beliefs.
Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science
July 1, 2022
Tam Hunt, Marissa Ericson, Jonathan Schooler
52 citations
As tools for measuring consciousness emerge, there is no settled theory of what they measure. This article categorizes tests that infer the presence and complexity of phenomenal or subjective experience, proposing a taxonomy of measurable correlates of consciousness (MCC) with three subcategories: neural, behavioral, and creative correlates. It also suggests ways different theories of consciousness might be empirically distinguished and reflects on how broader philosophical views, such as materialism and panpsychism, could be informed by scientific evidence.
Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science
January 1, 2025
Andrew W Corcoran, Kelsey Perrykkad, Daniel Feuerriegel et al.
19 citations
Predictive processing theories, especially active inference, have been proposed as a way to reconcile embodied and traditional cognitive science. This analysis argues that most active-inference accounts rely on weak or trivial conceptions of embodiment, while stronger claims do not follow from the framework itself. A more compelling version of embodied active inference is motivated by taking a diachronic view of how rhythmic physiological activity shapes neural development before birth. The visceral afferent training hypothesis proposes that early-emerging physiological processes, particularly from the cardiovascular system, are essential for configuring cognitive architecture. Three candidate mechanisms are suggested: activity-dependent neuronal development, periodic signal modeling, and oscillatory network coordination.
Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science
July 1, 2023
Júlia Gyimesi
Family constellation therapy, developed by Bert Hellinger, has become a widely used psychotherapeutic method, yet psychological research has not examined its popularity or detailed content. This article interprets family constellation therapy within the framework of Western esotericism, identifying parallels between esoteric thought and Hellinger's system. The analysis explores how family constellation therapy is embedded in esotericism, thereby broadening the understanding of esoteric spirituality and contributing to contemporary research on Western esoteric thought.