Change of Mind or Heart?: Some Cognitive and Emotional Characteristics of Religious Conversions

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This study focused on the relative predominance of cognitive and emotional factors in precipitating religious conversions. Three hypotheses derived from cognitive theories of behavior were examined. Converts and non-converts differed markedly on all the variables that measured emotional dynamics and well-being. Converts reported a more stressful and traumatic childhood and a more stressulf adolescence as compared to non-converts. The incidence of father-absence and of conflictual relationship with the father were particularly high in the converts' sample. Atnecedents to conversion indicated a high frequency of stress and emotional turmoil prior to the conversion and a low frequency of cognitive search.