Ragam Hias Kalong dalam Senibina Masyarakat Orang Ulu di Sarawak

Kajian berkaitan ragam hias Kalong masyarakat Orang Ulu di Sarawak ini akan memberi fokus terhadap penggunaan Kalong pada senibina yang dihasilkan oleh masyarakat Orang Ulu di samping meneroka tentang makna dan falsafah yang terkandung di sebalik penggunaannya dari perspektif kepercayaan tradisi. Secara umumnya, kesenian dalam masyarakat Orang Ulu tradisional banyak menjurus kepada kepercayaan mistik dan alam ghaib serta mempunyai interaksi yang baik sesama manusia dan alam. Kajian kualitatif ini berdasarkan data-data yang dikumpul dalam bentuk perkataan, sumber majalah, keratan-keratan akhbar dan jurnal-jurnal hasil penulisan pengkaji-pengkaji barat dan tempatan serta lain-lain rekod rasmi. Di samping itu juga, kaedah temu bual dengan responden-responden yang dipilih yang terdiri daripada enam orang daripada kalangan masyarakat Orang Ulu itu sendiri juga menyokong kajian ini. Penemuan dan interpretasi yang dibuat akan dapat menjelaskan mengenai makna penggunaan motif-motif Kalong yang diaplikasikan pada binaan-binaan penting ini dengan lebih tepat lagi. Kajian ini juga dapat mengenal pasti beberapa penggiat yang terlibat dalam menghasilkan karya Kalong serta menjelaskan tentang makna dan falsafah serta mengenal pasti motif Kalong yang menjadi identiti masyarakat Orang Ulu. Kalong Ornaments in the Architecture of the Orang Ulu Community in Sarawak Abstract: This research is about the decoration in the architecture of the Orang Ulu community in Sarawak. It focuses on the use of the bat motifs, whose meaning and philosophy in the perspective of traditional beliefs are also explored. In the Orang Ulu communities, traditional arts are related to mystical and supernatural beliefs. Human beings and nature are believed to interact in harmony. This is a qualitative study in which data are collected, interviews jotted, articles in magazines, newspapers, journals, written by local as well as foreign researchers, and official records are gleaned. Six respondents from the Orang Ulu community are randomly interviewed to help verify the data. These are interpreted to see the significance of the architecture in the Orang Ulu communities. A number of carvers are identified who shed light on the bat motifs that embody the Orang Ulu identity. Keywords: Architecture, Kalong, Orang ulu Community, Ornaments

Examining the relationship between metacognitive trust in thinking styles and supernatural beliefs

Conflicting findings have emerged from research on the relationship between thinking styles and supernatural beliefs. In two studies, we examined this relationship through meta-cognitive trust and developed a new (1) experimental manipulation, a short scientific article describing the benefits of thinking styles, (2) trust in thinking styles measure, the Ambiguous Decisions task, and (3) supernatural belief measure, the Belief in Psychic Ability scale. In Study 1 (N=415) we found differences in metacognitive trust in thinking styles between the analytical and intuitive condition, and overall higher analytical scores. We also found stronger correlations between thinking style measures and psychic ability and paranormal beliefs than with religious beliefs, but a mixed-effect linear regression showed little to no variation in how measures of thinking style related to types of supernatural beliefs. In Study 2, we replicated Study 1 with participants from the United States, Canada, and Brazil (N=802), and found similar results, though Brazilian participants showed a reduced emphasis on analytical thinking. We conclude that our new design, task, and scale may be particularly useful for dual-processing research on supernatural belief.

COVID-19 Narratives in a Carpatho-Rusyn Village in Transcarpathian Ukraine

In a Carpathian village whose tradition I have been studying for a number of years, in pre-COVID-19 narratives about illness, an unexpected illness— especially a potentially fatal one—was often viewed as a sign from above. Depending on the relation between the speaker and the affected person, it might either cast doubt on the person's behavior or indicate an undeserved tragic stroke of fate. Uis paper examines whether that has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. I explore how people in this village talk about the pandemic, and how their narratives fit into, and possibly add to, our understanding of traditional values, supernatural beliefs, and the linguistic expression of these values and beliefs in the village.

Development of the Paranormal and Supernatural Beliefs Scale using classical and modern test theory

Background This study describes the construction and validation of a new scale for measuring belief in paranormal phenomena. The work aims to address psychometric and conceptual shortcomings associated with existing measures of paranormal belief. The study also compares the use of classic test theory and modern test theory as methods for scale development. Method We combined novel items and amended items taken from existing scales, to produce an initial corpus of 29 items. Two hundred and thirty-one adult participants rated their level of agreement with each item using a seven-point Likert scale. Results Classical test theory methods (including exploratory factor analysis and principal components analysis) reduced the scale to 14 items and one overarching factor: Supernatural Beliefs. The factor demonstrated high internal reliability, with an excellent test–retest reliability for the total scale. Modern test theory methods (Rasch analysis using a rating scale model) reduced the scale to 13 items with a four-point response format. The Rasch scale was found to be most effective at differentiating between individuals with moderate-high levels of paranormal beliefs, and differential item functioning analysis indicated that the Rasch scale represents a valid measure of belief in paranormal phenomena. Conclusions The scale developed using modern test theory is identified as the final scale as this model allowed for in-depth analyses and refinement of the scale that was not possible using classical test theory. Results support the psychometric reliability of this new scale for assessing belief in paranormal phenomena, particularly when differentiating between individuals with higher levels of belief.

Indian Paintings: An Analysis of Geographical and Chronological Context

The development of various genres of painting can be traced back to the beginning of history on the basis of various archeological evidences. Even within the limitations of the materials and techniques in the distant past, the people spread their aesthetic sense and sensibility through wonderful creations. Artists have drawn portraits, combining capacity and expectation together and with the passage of time, it has been expressed inside caves, on temple walls, on floors, on doors, on earthenware, on cloth, etc. Although the paintings of the ancient period were based on various supernatural beliefs, rituals of worship, etc., later on, it has been transformed into special aesthetic forms. Initially, the totem was developed as a symbol of faith and adherence to various supernatural beings, but later it reflected the diverse geographical locations, environment-nature, and the tastes of the ruling society. In the course of time, the subject of this change has become clear in the art-form of India, as well. The diverse tastes of rulers from different parts of the world, who ruled the Indian subcontinent, have also contributed to the rise of the Indian art-form. This article on Indian painting attempts to provide a regional and chronological analysis of the material, morphological and characteristic changes in paintings from prehistoric times to the contemporary era.

Everyday Magic in Early Modern Europe edited by Kathryn A. Edwards

Historians have long known that the efforts of religious reformers, both Catholic and Protestant, to challenge the magical beliefs of ordinary people in early modern Europe met with limited success, and that a rich stratum of unorthodox supernatural beliefs survived well into the 18th century. This welcome collection of essays addresses the negotiations and compromises between official religion in its various forms and the vibrant world of popular magic during the “long Reformation". Reviewed by: Darren Oldridge, Published Online (2021-04-30)Copyright © 2021 by Darren Oldridge Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/aestimatio/article/view/37677/28674 Corresponding Author: Darren Oldridge,University of Worcester, UKE-Mail: [email protected]

Mind and Meaning

This chapter addresses how religion might have originated and why it still maintains such a strong hold on the human mind, even amidst the science and technology of the twenty-first century. Since this book is concerned primarily with aspects of consciousness that can be examined scientifically, the approach here is to ask what material reasons one can find to explain belief in the supernatural, and link this to this book’s theme, which is how culture has shaped the human mind. One suggestion is that such belief arose as a by-product of response mechanisms that evolved to protect our species in its first phase of existence. Another feature of human beings is what has been called our ‘theory of mind’—the capacity to understand that other humans have thoughts and desires, and have some idea what these might be. Yet while helping humans to survive, such attributes may have led to supernatural beliefs. This chapter looks at the relationship between religion and other changes in society and social consciousness. It also looks at the question of how non-religious individuals find meaning in life, and why meaning is so central to the unique ways in which human beings navigate life.

Schizophrenia, Culture, and Culture-Bound Syndromes

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects people all around the world. It presents in many different contexts, across geographic boundaries, and in different ways. Rates of schizophrenia seem generally to be the same regardless of geographical location, though there is some evidence that those in developed nations have a higher incidence of the disorder. Also, immigrants who relocate to areas where their culture has little, or no representation are at more risk for schizophrenia. While the prevalence of schizophrenia is similar around the world, the presentation of the disorder can vary widely, depending on the cultural, religious, and supernatural beliefs native to specific areas. Examples of varying types of presentation of schizophrenia, including culture-bound disorder variants, can give insight into the ways in which people from across the world make sense of this devastating disease, and ways in which they attempt to treat it.