Objective

Cognitive scientists suggest that stress reduction may be one of the important elements for the success of religion as a social structure. Studies among Christian Charismatics support this model, pointing to the importance of belief, training, and proclivity for psychological absorption in maximizing the influence of cultural rituals for reducing stress and positively influencing mood. Furthermore, this “absorption hypothesis” likely extends to other cultural settings.

Methods

We test the role of absorption in influencing stress and emotional affect among members (N = 12) of a comedy improvisation (improv) theater in upstate New York. We tested for main and interaction effects of improv experience and absorption on self-reported mood and biomarkers of stress on improv and non-improv days.

Results

We found a significant positive association between absorption and cortisol on improv days but no effects for improv experience and no significant interaction effects.

Conclusions

These findings suggest absorption may be important for focus in skilled adult play, but involvement in comedy improv may not be analogous to active church membership.

中文翻译：

---

有组织的成人游戏和减轻压力：在喜剧即兴剧场中测试吸收假说

客观的

认知科学家认为，减轻压力可能是宗教作为一种社会结构成功的重要因素之一。基督教魅力主义者的研究支持这种模型，指出信念，训练和倾向对心理吸收的重要性，这对于最大程度地降低文化习俗对减轻压力和积极影响情绪的影响具有重要意义。此外，这种“吸收假说”可能会扩展到其他文化背景。

方法

我们测试了吸收在影响 纽约北部喜剧即兴剧院（即兴表演）的成员（N = 12）中的压力和情绪影响中的作用。我们测试了即兴体验和吸收对自我报告的情绪和即兴和非即兴日应激的生物标志物的主要和相互作用的影响。

结果

我们发现即兴天吸收和皮质醇之间显着正相关，但对即兴体验没有影响，也没有显着的相互作用。

结论

这些发现表明，吸收注意力对于专注于熟练的成人游戏可能很重要，但是参与喜剧即兴表演可能与活跃的教会会员资格并不相似。