Efficacy of Prayer - Cover Sheet SCI Home | SCI Faculty Page | Case Notes | Reference List | Users Notes

Author - Jim Radiker - Summer 1998

Case Purposes - This case explores the relation of science and religion as well as the limits of each as sources of knowledge. In this exploration, key scientific methodologies are illustrated. These include operational definition of variables, double-blind procedures and mediating vs. moderating variables. In addition, essential characteristics of hypothesis testing and inferential statistics are examined. These include random distribution of error variance achieved thorough random assignment of subjects to conditions and the possibilities of Type I and Type II errors.

Relation to Texts - Not determined at this point, although the sections of Ziman's Reliable Knowledge given in Shepherd's acupuncture case may be relevant. Stevenson and Byerly's Chapter 3, What Motivates Scientists, and Chapter 10, Science and Values, are places where the case may be used.

Description of Case Materials - Minimum materials are two articles: Byrd (1988) and Thomson (1996). Other sources may be used and are listed in the reference list below.

Case Use Byrd and Thomson articles are assigned as outside reading. Randomly assign students to one of two essays to be prepared for the next class and used for class discussion. The thesis statements for the essays are: "The Byrd (1988) study shows that the efficacy of prayer can (or cannot) be scientifically evaluated". A second class day might be used to discuss some of the overarching concerns of such studies. These would include whether or not the motives of researchers are important, how biases affect scientists, and the limits of scientific knowledge.

Reference List

• Byrd, R. C. (1988). Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in a coronary care unit population. Southern Medical Journal, 81, 826-829. Often cited as an example of a well controlled scientific demonstration of prayer's effectiveness.
• Thomson, K. S. (1996). The revival of experiments on prayer. American Scientist, 84, 532-534. Raises a number of objections to the idea of scientific studies on the effectiveness of prayer.
• Galton, F. (1872). Statistical inquiries into the efficacy of prayer. Fortnightly Review, 18, 125-135. The classic study in this area. Galton argues that while scientific study of prayer's efficacy are perfectly reasonable, the evidence does not support it.
• Mccullough, M. E. (1995). Prayer and health: Conceptual issues, research review, and research agenda. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 23, 15-29. As the title says, this is a wide-ranging article on the efficacy of prayer on health outcomes. The article is written from a Christian perspective yet makes a critical analysis of issues and previous research. Over 22 studies are reviewed.
• Dossey, L. (1993). Healing words. San Francisco: Harper. The Introduction of this book (pages 1-10) gives a thoughtful analysis of the conceptual and theological implications of studies of prayer's effectiveness