An exploration of spiritual superiority: The paradox of self-enhancement

Abstract

<p>Spiritual training is assumed to reduce self-enhancement, but may have the paradoxical effect of boosting superiority feelings. It can, thus, operate like other self-enhancement tools and contribute to a contingent self- worth that depends on one’s spiritual accomplishments. In three studies (N=533, N=2223, N=965), a brief measure of Spiritual Superiority showed good internal consistency and discriminant validity. As predicted, it was distinctly related to Spiritual Contingency of Self-Worth, illustrating that the self-enhancement function of spirituality is similar to other contingency domains. It was correlated with self-esteem and, more strongly, with communal narcissism, corroborating the notion of spiritual narcissism. Spiritual superiority scores were consistently higher among energetically trained participants than mindfulness trainees and were associated with Supernatural Overconfidence and self-ascribed Spiritual Guidance. Our results illustrate that the self- enhancement motive is powerful and deeply ingrained so that it can hijack methods intended to transcend the ego and, instead, adopt them to its own service.</p>

Mindfulness practice during COVID-19 crisis: Implications for confinement, physical inactivity, and sedentarism

“…The mindfulness practices illustrated in this paper are intended to provide individuals with tools that they could appropriately utilise, under the current circumstances, to allay the detrimental effects of confinement, physical inactivity, and sedentarism. These mindfulness practices are not intended to provide individuals with a false sense of self-enhancement or superiority (e.g., Vonk & Visser, 2021 ), although this may eventuate for some individuals in certain cases. Individuals are, therefore, reminded that they must remain equipoise and not be entrapped into a false sense of strength which may cause them to engage in risky behaviours.…”