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What is the Psychology of Prayer?
Kevin L. Ladd
Indiana University South Bend
Contato: [email protected]
One way to think about religion is that the word means “binding together.” This
conceptualization includes both a mental component (e.g., thinking alike), but also a
critical nautical component. The latter facet refers to a binding of a ship to the shore.
In this sense, it is clear that the connection must be flexible if it is not to snap as the
water level rises and falls. So, too, the emphasis here for “religion” is that flexibility is
crucial is faith is to survive. In communities of believers, this flexing happens on the
levels of both human and divine interactions as seen through the enactment of
religious rituals. We argue that these malleable yet structured rituals have a basis in
the human capacity for mimicry. In very basic terms, people imitate each other
physically, mentally (with ideas), and spiritually. We believe that praying represents a
fundamental form of spiritual mimicry.
This imitative process has ramifications. For instance, it tends to happen at a
reflexive level; it is quick and relatively unprocessed. Therefore, the risk is run that
the copying of behaviors, while quick, can also be quite inaccurate. Prayer and other
religious practices, therefore, benefit from an individual’s ability to evaluate the
behavior in order to determine how it does or does not align with the rest of the
group.
To further this understanding of prayer as a flexible practice that binds
believers together, we have described prayer as a typically intentional attempt to
establish or maintain a sense of connectivity with the self, the surrounding physical
worlds, or with the perceived supraphysical realm.
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A key to this definition is that an underlying assumption is that there are some facets
of prayer that are not amenable to scientific investigation. For example, the actual
efficacy of prayer falls into the area of the supraphysical because science is ill
equipped to measure that which by definition is not measurable. What we can
measure, however, is how beliefs about efficacy influence measurable actions. Here
we can explore contexts involving the individual and her or his environment, including
specific facets of behavior. What sort of intensity of experiences do people report?
How long are the prayers? How often are the prayers?
Beyond this, we can also scientifically evaluate both external and internal
contexts. Does the person pray alone or in a group? To what extent does this make a
difference? If the person typically prays in a group, what is the size of that group?
With regard to the internal context, what sorts of emotions arise during prayer? How
is prayer engaged? Is it enacted in an active or a receptive mode?
When it comes to the content of prayer, it is possible to develop many different
models that reflected different established practices. As one example, it is feasible to
think about prayers that primarily center on a person’s private spiritual condition.
Alternatively, the prayer might be largely focused on the well-being of the people and
the tangible world. It could also be the case that the prayer is fundamentally about
seeking to develop a relationship with a deity. There are many influences on the
content that arises in these various directions. Physical facets such as nervous
system arousal or quiescence clearly play key roles.
While exploring these features of prayer from a scientific perspective, it is
incumbent upon researchers to keep in mind the notion that prayer is a somewhat
unique event. It is first and foremost a practice that arises as part of a theological
discipline, within the context of some particular tradition (whether corporate or
individual in scope). Prayers also are generated under certain sets of expectations
such as the power of a deity to intervene as a response to any particular prayer or to
inspire the very utterance of prayer.
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It is also necessary for researchers to keep in mind that “prayer” is not a
unidimensional
practice;
it
has
many
unique
manifestations.
As
such,
multidimensional measures are required to evaluate what is going on during prayers.
In sum, there is much that we can learn as scientists about what prayer is and
under what conditions its many forms become apparent. This learning can, and must
take place in the midst of constant dialogue with academicians from many disciplines
and with practitioners across a variety of traditions. To do so in this fashion means
that we remain true to both the practice and the scientific study of this practice that
represents the core of many belief systems across the ages.
How does prayer enter into these moments? We contend that prayer functions
as a sort of “meta-schema” or a way of thinking that coordinates other ways of
thinking. For instance, how a person thinks about God, or about religious rituals, or
about fellow humans, or the environment each represent discrete schemata. People
have ideas and opinions about each of these and many other concepts. Prayer can
function as a way to bring these disparate schemata together.
In essence, the act of prayer can include all of these facets of thinking and
believing. At its best, the act of praying is a multidimensional practice that is not
limited to a particular time or physical location. Instead, prayer can become not an
activity per se, but a lifestyle. In this way, each and every portion of a person’s
existence is interpreted through the meta-schema of prayer; all events are viewed as
components within the prayer life.
What this suggests is that whether in a situation of “care” or of “counseling” the
primary role of a spiritual leader may be conceptualized as that of helping a person
seek out an understanding of how any looming threat or ambiguity is linked to a wider
belief perspective. This may take the form of discussing the content of prayers or it
may mean thinking creatively about how prayers are physically practiced. All of this
occurs with the goal of broadening the fundamental notions of what prayer is and
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how it is engaged.
Again in terms of cognitive processes, this way of thinking about prayer is
helpful to individuals in times of crises (or any other time as well) becomes effective
because prayer is not linked to any potentially rigid manner of engagement. It
provides multiple pathways to practicing one’s faith and with those multiple pathways
established, there exists less likelihood that any given situation will “block” one’s
spiritual development.
This is not to suggest that this approach is a simple process at any point. It is
imperative that individuals and spiritual leaders alike remain aware that prayer is a
spiritual “discipline” and as such requires intentional attention. It is quite literally
adopting a new way of seeing the world and events in it. This does not necessarily
come easily, however, the work involved in developing prayer as a meta-schema not
only helps in one specific situation, but can change the way in which subsequent
events are experienced. As prayer becomes less of an isolated act and more of an
integrated way of living, its effects can become more profound.
I JOINTH, 15 E 16 DE MARÇO DE 2012.
PÁG. 24-27