Cite this article as:
Ясин М. И. The Study of Modern Buddhists’ Cognitive Openness. Izvestiya of Saratov University. Philosophy. Psychology. Pedagogy, 2017, vol. 17, iss. 3, pp. 334-?. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18500/1819-7671-2017-17-3-334-338
The Study of Modern Buddhists’ Cognitive Openness
In the (present) article we describe the empirical study results of modern Russian Buddhists’ cognitive openness. Cognitive closure is considered as a mental process which allows making a clear choice, cutting off unnecessary, contradicting and distracting information. Cognitive closure has its opposition – cognitive openness. It is an ability to accept new various information that can be also contradictory; to integrate opposing points of view and to find compromises. We have used The Need for Closure Scale, a method elaborated by A. W. Kruglanski for measuring the cognitive openness. Moreover, we have used the author’s questionnaire and J. D. Kass’ survey Inspirit to discover the level of spiritual involvement into Buddhists practices. We conducted a comparative study collating the results of two groups: modern Russian Buddhists (70 examinees), atheists and people who do not follow spiritual teachings (70 examinees). The outcome results were compared by Student’s t-distribution for samples with unequal variances. The findings have allowed us to conclude that the Buddhists have higher cognitive openness in comparison with the control group. Especially significant differences have been discovered in spontaneity and readiness to face unexpected events and people’s actions.
1. Kruglanski A. W., Webster D. M. Motivated сlosing of the mind: «Seizing» and «Freezing». Psychological Review, 1996, vol. 103, no. 2, pp. 263–283.
2. Hood R.W., Spilka Jr. B., Hunsberger B. & Gorsuch R. The psychology of religion: An empirical approach. New York, 1996. 636 p.
3. Batson C. D., Ventis W. L. The religious experience: A social-psychological perspective. New York, 1982. 356 p.
4. Saroglou V. Beyond dogmatism: the need for closure as related to religion. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 2002, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 183–193.
5. Saroglou V., Kempeneers A., Seynhaeve I. Need for closure and adult attachment dimensions as predictors of religion and reading interests. One hundred years of psychology and religion. Eds. P. Roelofsma, J. Corveleyn & J. van Saane. Amsterdam, 2003, pp. 139–154.
6. Saroglou V., Muñoz-García A. Individual differences in religion and spirituality: An issue of personality traits and/or values. Journal for the Scientifi c Study of Religion, 2008, vol. 47, pp. 83–101.
7. Buxant C., Saroglou V., Scheuer J. Contemporary conversions: Compensatory needs or self-growth motives? Research for the Social Scientifi c Study of Religion, 2009, vol. 20, pp. 47–68.
8. Ulanov M. S. O prichinakh rasprostraneniya buddizma na Zapade v epokhu globalizacii [Causes of buddhism spreading in the west in the epoch of globalization]. Vestn. Volgogr. gos. un-ta. Ser. 7. Filosofi ya. Sotsiologiya i sotsialnye tekhnologii [Science Journal of Volgograd State University. Ser. 7. Philosophy. Sociology and Social Technologies], 2008, no.2, pp. 68–72 (in Russian).
9. Federman A. What Buddhism taught cognitive science about self, mind and brain. Enrahonar: An International journal of theoretical and practical reason, 2011, vol. 47, pp. 39–62.
10. Nydahl O., lama. Buddha & Love: Timeless wisdom for modern relationships. Minneapolis, 2012. 320 p. (Russ. ed.: Nidal O. (lama). Budda i lyubov: kak lyubit i byt shchastlivym. Moscow, 2009. 256 p.).
11. Yasin M. I. Psychology of religion: objectives and methods. Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe: Achievements and Perspectives Proceedings of the 5th International symposium. Ed. by L. Koenig. Wien, 2014, pp. 143–146.
12. Kass J. D., Friedman R., Leserman J., Zuttermeister P., Benson H. Health outcomes and a new measure of spiritual experience. Journal of Scientific Study of Religion, 1991, vol. 30, pp. 203–211.
13. The need for closure scale. Available at: http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~hannahk/NFC_Scale.html (accessed 26 April 2016).
14. Webster D. M., Kruglanski A. W. Individual differences in need for cognitive closure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1994, vol. 67, pp. 1049– 1062.
15. Yasin M. I. Ustanovki v mezhlichnostnyh otnosheniyakh u sovremennykh buddistov [The modern Buddhist’s interpersonal attitudes]. Psikhologiya i Psikhotekhnika [Psychology and Psychotechnics], 2016, no. 5, pp. 436–439 (in Russian).
16. Saroglou V., Dupuis J. Being Buddhist in Western Europe: Cognitive needs, prosocial character, and values. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2006, vol. 16 (3), pp. 163–179.
Generator XML for DOAJ
Не определено в Выпуске поле Опубликована онлайн:publicationDate