Perceiving Sacred Space

Abstract

Although particular physical settings play a crucial role in the religious lives of many people, adherents’ preferences have received little empirical attention. The current study tests whether judgments of religious environments are influenced by perceptual variables, perceivers’ religious orientations (intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest), and the fit between these two types of factors. Participants rated images of interior church settings in terms of their preferences, as well as the settings’ coherence/legibility (understanding) and complexity/mystery (exploration). Results revealed statistically significant interactions between religious motivation and perceptual properties. Specifically, high intrinsic orientation predicted a stronger association between understanding and preference, whereas high quest orientation predicted a weaker association between understanding and preference. In addition, high extrinsic orientation predicted greater preference for all religious settings, unless the environment required high exploration. These results indicate that personal religious beliefs are reflected in how individuals evaluate the settings in which they worship.