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24 September 2020

WOOP for Health and Wealth

A recent episode of Hidden Brain, You 2.0: WOOP, WOOP!, focuses on the research* of Gabriele Oettingen, Professor of Psychology at NYU. She says, "Those who have stronger, more positive fantasies about reaching their goals are actually less likely to achieve them. They lose fewer pounds, earn worse grades, receive fewer job offers, stay lonely longer, recover from injury more slowly."

I have researched on the Prosperity Gospel (dissertation, paper [PDF], blog). I see a connection here.

Hypothesis: Prosperity Gospel (PG) adherents will be less likely to achieve health and wealth.

Theoretical Explanation: Postive fantasies seduce people into feeling accomplished. Essentially, positive ideation creates its own rewards. PG is a theology that encourages positive ideation. Once feeling fulfilled, PG adherents do not take active steps to become healthier or wealthier. Moreover, PG adherents do not plan behaviors to overcome potential obstacles to their wishes.

This could be a cool link in the literature between a social-psychological finding and religion.

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* - See:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10463283.2011.643698

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-18731-013?doi=1

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