About This Project

This study explores how people in online mindfulness communities experience and navigate differences in beliefs about God, spirituality, or having no faith. Using surveys, it examines how these beliefs relate to moral values, social connections, and feelings of inner conflict (cognitive dissonance). By studying both 2D (like Discord) and 3D spaces (like VR), this research aims to better understand how digital environments influence discussions of faith, morality, and community.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Online mindfulness communities bring together people with diverse beliefs about God, spirituality, or none, often leading to tension but also fostering connection. As a Buddhist, I’m studying how these differences influence moral values, social presence, and cognitive dissonance—the inner discomfort from conflicting beliefs—within 2D platforms like Discord and 3D virtual reality spaces.

Cognitive dissonance shapes decision-making (Festinger, 1957), moral foundations guide ethics (Haidt & Graham, 2007), and social presence impacts connection in digital spaces (Biocca et al., 2001). This research combines these ideas to explore how digital environments shape conversations about belief, morality, and community.

What is the significance of this project?

This study can foster deeper understanding in polarized digital spaces, revealing how diverse beliefs shape important secondary diversity dimensions like moral values, social presence, and mental well-being. It may guide the design of online platforms to encourage inclusivity, reduce conflict, and promote genuine connection. By addressing the commercialization of mindfulness, the research could shift digital engagement toward authenticity and intentionality. It also supports mental health by highlighting how digital environments impact emotional states, offering insights for interventions that enhance well-being. Ultimately, the study empowers communities to build healthier, more cohesive relationships online, aligning digital interactions with human needs for connection and growth.

What are the goals of the project?

To answer the research questions, I will conduct a cross-sectional quantitative study using surveys to measure cognitive dissonance, moral foundations, and social presence within online mindfulness communities. Specifically, I'm using responses from the Belief in God Scale (Randles et al., 2015), an adaptation of the Online Social Presence Questionnaire (OSPQ) (Sung & Mayer, 2013), and the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) (Graham et al., 2011).

Participants will be recruited from 2D platforms like Discord and 3D virtual reality spaces, using a sampling method that ensures diversity in beliefs, demographics, and platform engagement. Data collection will continue until I reach 200 participants, using Prolific's affordances. The Bayesian method will reveal patterns in how beliefs influence digital community dynamics. The findings will be prepared for publication, contributing to research on digital spaces, inclusivity, and belief-based interactions.