J 2016

Music as a sacred cue? Effects of religious music on moral behavior

LANG, Martin, Panagiotis MITKIDIS, Radek KUNDT, Aaron NICHOLS, Lenka KRAJČÍKOVÁ et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Music as a sacred cue? Effects of religious music on moral behavior

Authors

LANG, Martin (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Panagiotis MITKIDIS (300 Greece), Radek KUNDT (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Aaron NICHOLS (840 United States of America), Lenka KRAJČÍKOVÁ (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution) and Dimitrios XYGALATAS (300 Greece, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Frontiers in Psychology, Lausanne, Frontiers Research Foundation, 2016, 1664-1078

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

60304 Religious studies

Country of publisher

Switzerland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.321

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/16:00089951

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

UT WoS

000377253700001

Keywords in English

religion; music; associative learning; morality; priming

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 15/2/2020 14:32, Mgr. Vojtěch Juřík, Ph.D.

Abstract

V originále

Religion can have an important influence in moral decision-making, and religious reminders may deter people from unethical behavior. Previous research indicated that religious contexts may increase prosocial behavior and reduce cheating. However, the perceptual-behavioral link between religious contexts and decision-making lacks thorough scientific understanding. This study adds to the current literature by testing the effects of purely audial religious symbols (instrumental music) on moral behavior across three different sites: Mauritius, the Czech Republic, and the USA. Participants were exposed to one of three kinds of auditory stimuli (religious, secular, or white noise), and subsequently were given a chance to dishonestly report on solved mathematical equations in order to increase their monetary reward. The results showed cross-cultural differences in the effects of religious music on moral behavior, as well as a significant interaction between condition and religiosity across all sites, suggesting that religious participants were more influenced by the auditory religious stimuli than non-religious participants. We propose that religious music can function as a subtle cue associated with moral standards via cultural socialization and ritual participation. Such associative learning can charge music with specific meanings and create sacred cues that influence normative behavior. Our findings provide preliminary support for this view, which we hope further research will investigate more closely.

Links

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