Feeling Guilty and Flattering God: The Mediating Role of Prayer

Abstract

Ingratiation refers to acts of flattery, typically given by a low-power person to a high-power one, performed to gain acceptance and approval. This study investigates ingratiation in the religious setting, asking whether people feeling high levels of guilt or shame tend to manifest such ingratiating behavior toward God. The study aimed to examine the mediating role of prayer in the relationship between guilt and shame and ingratiation toward God. A total of 148 respondents (80 women and 68 men) participated in the study. The Religious Ingratiation Scale, the Content of Prayer Scale, and the Guilt and Shame Proneness Scale were applied to the research. The results showed that feeling guilty increased the tendency to ingratiation toward God. Prayer was the significant mediator in this relationship. People high in guilt tend to flatter God by offering more adoration and fewer repine prayers.

Guilt, Shame, and Religious Ingratiation: The Mediating Role of Prayer and the Moderating Role of Intrinsic Religious Orientation

“…Our study further expands Zarzycka, Tomaka, et al’s (2022) study in four crucial ways. First, we included five types of prayer relevant to moral emotions, for example, confession, thanksgiving, adoration, reception, and supplication.…”

“…Ingratiatory behaviors have been studied in different social situations, from work relationships to inaugural addresses by presidents (Ziemke & Brodsky, 2015). Recently, this term has also appeared in the context of religion (Zarzycka, Tomaka, et al, 2022). Religious ingratiation is “a set of behaviors used by people to gain God’s favor that serves self-protective functions” (Zarzycka, Tomaka, et al, 2022, p. 162).…”

“…Recently, this term has also appeared in the context of religion (Zarzycka, Tomaka, et al, 2022). Religious ingratiation is “a set of behaviors used by people to gain God’s favor that serves self-protective functions” (Zarzycka, Tomaka, et al, 2022, p. 162). Religious ingratiation can take the form of God enhancement, submissiveness toward God, positive self-presentation, or deservingness.…”

“…From a psychological perspective, these behaviors may demonstrate some characteristics of ingratiation (Jones, 1964). Since they occur in a religious setting, they have been referred to as religious ingratiation (Zarzycka, Tomaka, et al, 2022).…”

“…Other times, they involve emphasizing one’s faithfulness to God and making promises to God to get an answer to requests made to Him. Zarzycka, Tomaka, and colleagues (2022) indicated that fear and guilt—ego-related moral emotions—could be associated with ingratiating behavior toward God. And given that communication with God occurs in prayer, prayer can be a venue for expressing ingratiating behavior toward God.…”