Levin Jeff
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Explore (NY). 2009 Mar-Apr;5(2):77-96. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2008.12.003.
This paper summarizes theoretical perspectives from psychology supportive of a healing effect of faith. First, faith is defined as a congruence of belief, trust, and obedience in relation to God or the divine. Second, evidence for a faith-healing association is presented, empirically and in theory. To exemplify religiously sanctioned affirmation of such a connection, selected passages are cited from the Jewish canon attesting to biblical and rabbinic support for a faith factor in longevity, disease risk, mental health and well-being, disease prevention, and healing. Third, reference to theories of hope, learned optimism, positive illusions, and opening up or disclosure, and to theory and research on psychoneuroimmunology and placebos, demonstrates that contemporary psychology can accommodate a healing power of faith. This is summarized in a typology of five hypothesized mechanisms underlying a faith-healing association, termed behavioral/conative, interpersonal, cognitive, affective, and psychophysiological. Finally, implications are discussed for the rapprochement of religion and medicine.
本文总结了心理学中支持信仰具有治愈作用的理论观点。首先，信仰被定义为与上帝或神灵相关的信念、信任和顺从的一致性。其次，从经验和理论两方面呈现了信仰与治愈之间关联的证据。为举例说明宗教对这种联系的认可，引用了犹太教经典中的一些段落，这些段落证明了圣经和拉比教义对长寿、疾病风险、心理健康与幸福、疾病预防及治愈中信仰因素的支持。第三，提及希望理论、习得性乐观、积极错觉、袒露心扉或自我表露，以及心理神经免疫学和安慰剂的理论与研究，表明当代心理学能够接纳信仰的治愈力量。这在信仰与治愈关联的五种假设机制类型中得到总结，这五种机制分别称为行为/意动、人际、认知、情感和心理生理机制。最后，讨论了宗教与医学和解的意义。
