Date of Award
3-1986
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology
Abstract
The relationship between the constructs of imaginal ability (vividness and control), Christian imaginal frequency, and Christian spirituality (well-being, maturity, and experience) was investigated. Eighty randomly sampled students from a private Bible college participated in the study. The measures used were the Sheehan (1967) shortened version of the Betts (1909) Questionnaire of Mental Imagery, the Gordon (1949) Test of Visual Imagery Control, updated by Richardson (1969), Ellison and Paloutzian's (Ellison, 1983) Spiritual Well-being Scale, Ellison's (Ellison, Rashid, Patla, Calica & Haberman, 1984) Spiritual Maturity Index, Hood's (1975) Mysticism Scale, and the Christian Use of Imagery Inventory that was specially designed for use in this study. The results indicated there is a significant positive canonical correlation between the constructs of Christian imaginal frequency and Christian spirituality, and Christian imaginal frequency and imaginal ability, but no significant relationship was found between imaginal ability and Christian spirituality. It was found the instruments comprising the construct of Christian spirituality (Spiritual Well-being Scale, Spiritual Maturity Index, and Hood's Mysticism Scale) did not relate together well. Christian imaginal frequency (as measured by the Christian Use of Imagery Inventory) only significantly related to Hood's Mysticism Scale, and not to the Spiritual Well-being Scale and the Spiritual Maturity Index. Further, it was found Christian imaginal frequency related to a particular type of imaginal vividness ability - emotive imagery. The findings support previous research in emotional control with Christian subjects. Also, the Christian Use of Imagery Inventory produced two potentially important variables not previously investigated: imaginal frequency and time orientation. The results contribute to our understanding of the role of imagery in religious experience.
Recommended Citation
Bressen, Michael R., "The Relationship Between Individual Differences In Imaginal Ability, Christian Imaginal Frequency, And Christian Spirituality" (1986). Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). 415.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/psyd/415