Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A
Preregistered Virtual Reality Study

J 2024

Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A Preregistered Virtual Reality Study

NENADALOVÁ, Jana; Piotr SZYMANEK and Neil VAN LEEUWEN

Basic information

Original name

Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A Preregistered Virtual Reality Study

Authors

NENADALOVÁ, Jana; Piotr SZYMANEK and Neil VAN LEEUWEN

Edition

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, Washington, Educational Publishing Foundation - American Psychological Association, 2024, 1941-1022

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Field of Study

60304 Religious studies

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.200

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000538

UT WoS

001385569400001

EID Scopus

2-s2.0-85214524644

Keywords (in Czech)

pocit ohrožení; detekce činitelů; hyperaktivní modul pro detekci činitelů; prediktivní zpracování; náboženství

Keywords in English

feeling of threat; agency detection; hyperactive agency detection device; predictive processing; religion

Abstract

In the original language

While agency detection has been used to explain religious phenomena, there are two competing theories regarding the neurocognitive mechanism underlying it: hyperactive agency detection device (HADD) and the predictive processing-based model. Those two theories differ in their predictions regarding the impact of feeling of threat on agency detection. The present study aimed to put this hypothesized effect to a new test in virtual reality. One hundred ninety-nine participants explored an agentless, foggy virtual forest, instructed to press a button whenever they perceive a being. While all participants were primed to expect a stable number of agents, we manipulated the description of beings, introducing them as either hostile or neutral, depending on the group. We also measured participants’ heart rate and their reported anxiety during the task. To test our hypotheses, we performed a Wilcoxon’s test for our main analysis. Two linear regressions models have been run to examine the moderating effect of arousal and whether anxiety mediates the relationship between priming and agency detection. We also performed a test of statistical equivalence and exploratory analyses. The study did not confirm that people are more likely to falsely detect agents when they expect them to be dangerous, which casts doubt on HADD conceptualized as a threat-triggered mechanism. However, we found several patterns in both quantitative and qualitative data which call for further studies on the topic of agency detection as a building block of religious and spiritual phenomena.

Links

230602, interní kód MU

Name: Vnímání podnětů v prostředí virtuální reality

Investor: Ostatní - foreign, Revisiting feeling of threat and agency detection – a preregistered virtual reality study

Cite

NENADALOVÁ, Jana; Piotr SZYMANEK and Neil VAN LEEUWEN. Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A Preregistered Virtual Reality Study. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Washington: Educational Publishing Foundation - American Psychological Association, 2024, vol. 2024, Advance online publication, p. 1-15. ISSN 1941-1022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000538.

@article{2463578,
   author = {Nenadalová, Jana and Szymanek, Piotr and Van Leeuwen, Neil},
   article_location = {Washington},
   article_number = {Advance online publication},
   doi = {https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000538},
   keywords = {feeling of threat; agency detection; hyperactive agency detection device; predictive processing; religion},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1941-1022},
   journal = {Psychology of Religion and Spirituality},
   title = {Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A Preregistered Virtual Reality Study},
   url = {https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2025-60319-001.html},
   volume = {2024},
   year = {2024}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2463578
AU  - Nenadalová, Jana - Szymanek, Piotr - Van Leeuwen, Neil
PY  - 2024
TI  - Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A Preregistered Virtual Reality Study
JF  - Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
VL  - 2024
IS  - Advance online publication
SP  - 1-15
EP  - 1-15
PB  - Educational Publishing Foundation - American Psychological Association
SN  - 19411022
KW  - feeling of threat
KW  - agency detection
KW  - hyperactive agency detection device
KW  - predictive processing
KW  - religion
UR  - https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2025-60319-001.html
N2  - While agency detection has been used to explain religious phenomena, there are two competing theories regarding the neurocognitive mechanism underlying it: hyperactive agency detection device (HADD) and the predictive processing-based model. Those two theories differ in their predictions regarding the impact of feeling of threat on agency detection. The present study aimed to put this hypothesized effect to a new test in virtual reality. One hundred ninety-nine participants explored an agentless, foggy virtual forest, instructed to press a button whenever they perceive a being. While all participants were primed to expect a stable number of agents, we manipulated the description of beings, introducing them as either hostile or neutral, depending on the group. We also measured participants’ heart rate and their reported anxiety during the task. To test our hypotheses, we performed a Wilcoxon’s test for our main analysis. Two linear regressions models have been run to examine the moderating effect of arousal and whether anxiety mediates the relationship between priming and agency detection. We also performed a test of statistical equivalence and exploratory analyses. The study did not confirm that people are more likely to falsely detect agents when they expect them to be dangerous, which casts doubt on HADD conceptualized as a threat-triggered mechanism. However, we found several patterns in both quantitative and qualitative data which call for further studies on the topic of agency detection as a building block of religious and spiritual phenomena.
ER  -

NENADALOVÁ, Jana; Piotr SZYMANEK and Neil VAN LEEUWEN. Revisiting Feeling of Threat and Agency Detection : A Preregistered Virtual Reality Study. \textit{Psychology of Religion and Spirituality}. Washington: Educational Publishing Foundation - American Psychological Association, 2024, vol.~2024, Advance online publication, p.~1-15. ISSN~1941-1022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000538.

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