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Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

ISSN 0021-8294

10 papers in the library · 2,117 citations · publishing 1964-2012

Papers

Factor Analysis of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire: A Study of Experiences Occasioned by the Hallucinogen Psilocybin

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 2012 Katherine A. Maclean, Jeannie‐marie Leoutsakos, Matthew W. Johnson et al. 412 citations

A 30-item version of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ) reliably measures four core dimensions of mystical experiences brought on by psilocybin: unity, noetic quality, and sacredness; positive mood; transcendence of time and space; and ineffability. Over 1,600 participants who had taken psilocybin completed the original 43-item MEQ, and factor analysis retained 30 items with a clear four-factor structure. Those who reported having a mystical experience scored significantly higher on all factors, confirming the scale's construct validity. The factor structure held in a second sample of 440 people and fit better than alternative models, supporting the MEQ's use in scientific studies of hallucinogen-occasioned mysticism.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2012.01685.x Full text Psilocybin Mysticism Hallucinogen Psychology +2

Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of Near-Death Experience in Medieval and Modern Times

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 1987 Lee A. Kirkpatrick, Carol Zaleski 318 citations

Near-death experiences that describe life after death are a recurring motif in global folklore and religious literature, with medieval Christian visionary narratives offering surprisingly close parallels to modern accounts. The book surveys evidence for life after death from near-death experiences, comparing medieval and modern 'otherworld journey' narratives to illuminate contemporary cultural attitudes toward death and religion.

DOI: 10.2307/1387108 Literature Art Ancient history Classics

Mystical Experience Among Tibetan Buddhists: The Common Core Thesis Revisited

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion June 1, 2011 63 citations

A debate in mysticism asks whether a universal core experience exists across religions. This investigation combines Jamesian and social constructivist views, arguing that stable experiential facets combine differently across cultures to form local interpretations, which still share a family resemblance—a mystical common core. Confirmatory factor analyses of data from 240 Tibetan Buddhist adults show that a three-factor model fits better than a unidimensional model, indicating that pure experience can be distinguished from its context-specific interpretation.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01570.x

Psychological Strength and the Report of Intense Religious Experience

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion March 1, 1974 Ralph W. Hood 63 citations

Intense religious experiences are not necessarily linked to psychological weakness. Across two studies, a negative correlation between intense religious experience and ego-strength disappeared when religion-related items were removed from the ego-strength scale. In a second study, people with low psychic inadequacy reported intense religious experiences more often than those with high psychic inadequacy. The findings suggest that such experiences, often called mystical or peak, can occur in psychologically healthy individuals and are not inherently pathological. The authors emphasize using independently defined measures to assess the relationship between religious experience and psychological health.

DOI: 10.2307/1384801 Sociology Social psychology

Common Core Thesis and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Mysticism in Chinese Buddhist Monks and Nuns

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 2011 Zhuo Chen, Qi Wen, Ralph W. Hood et al. 54 citations

Among 139 Chinese Pure Land and Chan Buddhist monastics, the common facets of mysticism identified by Stace and measured by Hood's Mysticism Scale successfully described Buddhist experience, though modified by Buddhist doctrines. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that Stace's three-factor structure fit the data, but the hypothesized separation between introvertive and extrovertive unity converged in this Chinese Buddhist context. These results strongly support the idea that mystical experience has a common experiential core across religious traditions and that this core can be studied with mixed methods.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01606.x Mysticism Buddhism Phenomenology philosophy Context archaeology +4

Altered States of Consciousness and Mental Health: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion June 1, 1991 48 citations

This edited volume examines altered states of consciousness (trance, possession, hypnosis) and their relationship to mental health across cultures. Part one addresses theoretical and methodological issues in cross-cultural study. Part two explores psychopathology links, including demonology and medieval madness, possession syndrome in India, and the strategic nature of multiple personality. Part three focuses on therapeutic aspects, such as religious experiences as self-healing, Native American dance ceremonials, and Brazilian mediumship. Part four offers alternative perspectives, including magical thinking, dramaturgical analysis of Malaysian spirit seances, and the role of hallucinogens in ancient Moche society. The collection argues that these states are not merely pathological but can be culturally meaningful and therapeutic.

DOI: 10.2307/1387237

Measurement and Incidence of Mystical Experiences: An Exploratory Study

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 1978 41 citations

About a third of 302 young adults reported having had an intense spiritual experience on a structured questionnaire, matching a prior national survey. When asked to describe their experiences in their own words, the accounts included classical mystical experiences, trivial or irrelevant events, psychic experiences, and experiences of faith and consolation. The authors conclude that measurement techniques must be refined before reliable conclusions can be drawn about how common mystical experiences actually are.

DOI: 10.2307/1385407

A Working Paper: Memo on the Religious Implications of the Consciousness-Changing Drugs (LSD, Mescalin, Psilocybin)

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion January 1, 1964 Joseph Havens 5 citations

A working paper from 1964 discusses the religious implications of consciousness-changing drugs such as LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin. The author argues that these substances can induce experiences that are similar to those reported in religious mysticism, raising questions about their role in spiritual life and religious practice. The paper explores potential benefits and risks, including the possibility of deepening religious understanding versus the dangers of misuse and trivialization of sacred experiences. It calls for careful consideration by religious communities and scholars.

DOI: 10.2307/1384511 Psilocybin Lysergic acid diethylamide Consciousness Hallucinogen +5