Worship and the Dangerous Life

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Worship and the Dangerous Life

by The Editorial Collective

‘Science for the People’ Vol. 3, No. 5, November 1971, p. 12

The following abstract has been brought to our attention as being indicative of the kind of work which has stimulated an increased emphasis on social science research in the government. Note the clear implications of this Air Force study for both military and scientific purposes.

UNCLASSIFIED

        DDC REPORT BIBLIOGRAPHY      SEARCH CONTROL NO. /ZONC2

AD-630  793                    5/10 5/11

BUREAU OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH INC WASHINGTON D  C
WORSHIP AND THE DANGEROUS LIFE: A STUDY OF CHURCH ATTENDANCE AMONG SPORT PARACHUTISTS.                                    (U)
DESCRIPTIVE NOTE:    TECHNICAL REPT. , 1963-1965,

DEC   65       55P     KLAUSNER SAMUEL Z.   :

CONTRACT:    AF 49(638)-1510,
PROJ:   AF-9779,
TASK:   977901,
MONITOR: AFOSR ,                            66-0124

UNCLASSIFIED REPORT

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE:
DESCRIPTORS: (RELIGION, PSYCHOLOGY), (PARACHUTE

JUMPING, RELIGION), RECREATION, EMOTIONS, FEAR,
MOTIVATION, BEHAVIOR, ANXIETY, ATTITUDES,
PERSONALITY, PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES, REACTION(PSYCHOLOGY), ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE,
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, SOCIAL SCIENCES                                        (U)
THE DATA FOR THIS STUDY WERE DRAWN FROM 825 QUESTIONNAIRES RETURNED BY MEMBERS OF AMERICAN
SPORT PARACHUTING CLUBS. AMONG PROTESTANT PARACHUTISTS, THE EMOTIONALLY VOLATILE ARE MORE FREQUENT CHURCH ATTENDERS THAN THE RELATIVELY CALM. AMONG CATHOLICS THE REVERSE IS TRUE: THE CALMER
TYPES GO TO CHURCH WHILE THE MORE VOLATILE TEND TO
STAY AWAY. SKYDIVERS WHO AVOID THINKING ABOUT
THEIR FEAR OF JUMPING ARE, ESPECIALLY AMONG PROTESTANTS, MORE FREQUENT CHURCH ATTENDERS THAN THOSE
SKYDIVERS WHO EXPRESS THEIR FEAR. CATHOLICS
WHO EXPRESS THE FEELING OF FREE FALL IN SENSORY AND ESTHETIC TERMS ARE MORE FREQUENT CHURCH ATTENDERS THAN THE CATHOLICS WHO CONFRONT THIS EXPERIENCE IN
A SIMPLE, DESCRIPTIVE, MATTER OF FACT WAY.
PROTESTANTS WHO GRASP THE FREE FALL EXPERIENCE IN A MATTER OF FACT WAY WERE MORE FREQUENT WORSHIPPERS IN THEIR CHURCHES THAN THOSE PROTESTANTS FOR WHOM FREE FALL IS AN ESTHETIC OR SENSORY EXPERIENCE.
PROTESTANTS WHO FELT THAT HARM BEFALLING A SKYDIVER WAS DUE TO FATE-THAT IS, PREDESTINED OR DETERMINED, RATHER THAN A RESULT OF THE JUMPER’S IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR, ARE MORE FREQUENT CHURCH ATTENDERS. CATHOLICS FOR WHOM SKYDIVER INJURY IS DUE TO HIS
OWN RESPONSIBILITY ARE MORE LIKELY THAN FATALIST! CATHOLICS TO BE FREQUENT ATTENDERS AT MASS.
(AUTHOR)                                                                                                    (U)

UNCLASSIFIED                               /ZONC2
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