Relationship of Mystical Experience, Differentiation, and Creativity
W. Richard Cowling
Perceptual and Motor Skills October 1, 1985 DOI: 10.2466/pms.1985.61.2.451 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational correlational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 160 |
| Population | Volunteer college-age students aged 17 to 24 years, 31% men and 69% women |
| Measures | Hood's Mysticism Scale, Factor I, Witkin's Group Embedded Figures Test, Gough and Heilbrun's Adjective Check List (19 items extracted to measure creativity as validated by Yonge) |
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Key findings | Mystical experience and differentiation together accounted for 14.5% of the variance in creativity, with mystical experience contributing about 11% and differentiation about 3%. Both were positively related to creativity, but the two predictors were orthogonal and did not interact, providing only mild support for the proposed hypothesis. |
Abstract
The purpose of the investigation was to examine the relationship of three variables proposed as correlates of development in a conceptual system. Variables were selected and measured based on congruency with the system and on the theoretical rationale that the diverse perceptual features of mystical experience and differentiation would be conducive to emergent creativity. A volunteer sample of 160 college age students (17 to 24 yr. of age), comprised of both men (31%) and women (69%), were administered Hood's Mysticism Scale, Factor I; Witkin's Group Embedded Figures Test; Gough and Heilbrun's Adjective Check List from which 19 items were extracted to measure creativity as validated by Yonge. The findings provided mild support for the proposed hypothesis. The combination of mystical experience and differentiation accounted for 14.5% of the total variance of creativity in this sample. Mystical experience accounted for about 11% and differentiation for about 3%. Mystical experience and creativity were positively related as well as differentiation and creativity. Mystical experience and differentiation were orthogonal and did not interact to influence creativity.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns Carmelite nuns | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| EEG activity in Carmelite nuns during a mystical experience Carmelite nuns | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
| Neural correlates of mystical experience Vietnam veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injury and matched healthy controls | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 148 |
| The Peak Experience Variable in DPT-Assisted Psychotherapy with Cancer Patients Cancer patients | 1977 | Observational study | n = 128 |
| Psilocybin-Induced Mystical-Type Experiences are Related to Persisting Positive Effects: A Quantitative and Qualitative Report Healthy volunteers | 2022 | Observational cohort | n = 28 |