Experiencing Science and Religion Alone and in Conflict

In a study that used Hermans's (1987, 1988) valuation procedure, 40 participants each provided a highly valued experience of four types: science, religion, interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict between science and religion. They then rated these valuations on 30 affect terms, some of rich were later organized into categories: Positive, Negative, Self, and Other. Participants also filled out questionnaires, that were used to categorize them as low or high in scientific and religious orientation. Typical valuations of participants in these four science and religion categories are presented as qualitative idiographic information. In addition, quantitative analyses of affect ratings are presented as nomothetic information. Generally, affect ratings of scienfific experiences were more Self-directed while religious experience valuations involved equally high levels of Self and Other affect. Both scientific and religious experiences were evaluated as having Positive but not Negative affect. Interpersonal and intropersonal conflict were experienced as more Self-directed than Other-oriented. While interpersonal conflicts displayed more Negative affect than Positive, intrapersonal conflict was evaluated equally on these two measures.