Psychology of Horror, Witchcraft, and the Paranormal Themed Symposium

Reactions to Wiccan and Catholic Artifacts: Differences Based on Religion and Religious Security

Raegan Thompson, M.A. (New College of Florida), and Steven Graham, Ph.D. (New College of Florida)

Religiosity can manifest in many ways, some of which are characterized as more secure and less susceptible to threat. Others are characterized as more fragile and easily threatened.

This research examines how people respond to religious artifacts that come from their own or another faith tradition. Additionally, it explores connections between religious security and more basic features of personality, including agreeableness, openness to experience, and narcissism.

Participants (N = 252) were recruited online and first presented with a picture of a supposed religious artifact—a satchel. The picture of the artifact was identical across conditions but was presented with a story describing it as having been used by either a Wiccan priestess or a Catholic monk.

Participants reported: (1) their reactions to the artifact, (2) their personality characteristics, and (3) aspects of their religiosity, including the particulars of their faith and their religious security.

Results indicated interesting and predicted patterns. There was a significant 2 (Participant Religion: Catholic/Wiccan) × 2 (Artifact Origin Story: Catholic/Wiccan) interaction. Catholic participants reacted negatively to the artifact when they believed it was Wiccan in origin and positively when they believed it was Catholic in origin.

Wiccan participants reacted more positively to the artifact overall, but particularly when they believed it was Wiccan in origin.

A similar pattern emerged with religious security. Participants who were more secure in their religiosity responded positively to the artifact regardless of its reported origins.

Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.