The Effects of Cognitive Style and Degree of Familiarity on Belief in Supernatural Events in Religious Stories

Two studies assessed whether individual differences in cognitive style, familiarity with religious content, or the inclusion of supernatural details in religious stories had any effect on individual religious beliefs. Two scales intended to indentify individual differences in the need for cognition and the need for cognitive closure were used to cognitive style. Three different types of religious beliefs were measured by Hunt’s (1972) Literal, Anti-literal, Metaphorical religious belief scale and also by a similar scale that measured participants’ belief in actual Biblical stories. The Bible stories manipulated to include either familiar or unfamiliar details as well as supernatural natural details. Participants revealed higher metaphorical religious beliefs in unfamiliar Bible stories and higher literal religious beliefs in familiar Bible stories