Religious conversion and group dynamics

CIGÁN, Jakub. Religious conversion and group dynamics. In Past, present, and future in the scientific study of religion, Brno, 1-3 March 2012. 2012.

Basic information

• Original name: Religious conversion and group dynamics
• Authors: CIGÁN, Jakub (703 Slovakia, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Past, present, and future in the scientific study of religion, Brno, 1-3 March 2012, 2012.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 60304 Religious studies
• Country of publisher: Czech Republic
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14210/12:00061591
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Keywords in English: religious conversion; group dynamics; affiliation strategy; prosociality; collective representations; autobiographical memory
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

Religious conversion is a traditional topic in Religious studies. Most of the scholars who have studied conversion approach it as something from the past, that should be studied retrospectively, through conversion accounts – a set of autobiographical memories in the form of a narrative.I argue,on the other hand, that these constructed conversion memories are aimed at one s present and future prospects and interests, opened to collectively shared representations and general implicit theories, and are relevant only in particular situations and contexts. Religious conversion is a sort of narrative schema that works in a particular group and is ritually publicly displayed (e.g. in a conversion story-telling practice, witnessing etc.). This may be taken as an affiliation strategy (among others) to the group and a commitment signal to other members that one is willing to participate and cooperate.

Links

• EE2.3.20.0048, research and development project: Name: Laboratoř pro experimentální výzkum náboženství