Patty Van Cappellen
Research Scientist
I am a social psychologist interested in the affective and motivational determinants and consequences of religious/spiritual practices and beliefs. I am also active in the domains of happiness/positive psychology, meditation, health behavior maintenance, and intergroup relations. See my Belief, Affect, and Behavior Lab webpage for more information. I am the Director of the Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center (IBRC).
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Research Scientist, Social Science Research Institute, University Institutes and Centers
- Research Scientist, Psychology and Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Contact Information
-
patty.vancappellen@duke.edu
+1 919 681 3936
-
IBRC
-
Lab Website
- Recognition
-
Awards & Honors
- Research
-
Selected Grants
- A psychological exploration into factors reducing bias in helping behaviors among religious people awarded by Issachar Fund 2021 - 2023
- ON THANKSGIVING: HOW GRATITUDE TO GOD IS DEMONSTRATED, WITH CONSEQUENCES FOR THE GRATEFUL PERSON AND WITNESSES awarded by Biola University 2020 - 2022
- The Embodiment of Worship: Relations Among Postural, Psychological, and Physiological Aspects of Religious Practice awarded by John Templeton Foundation 2017 - 2021
- Embodiment in worship across religious contexts awarded by Arizona State University 2017 - 2020
- Subjective Reasons for Belief and Non-belief awarded by Arizona State University 2017 - 2020
- Publications & Artistic Works
-
Selected Publications
-
Academic Articles
-
Van Cappellen, P., Edwards, M. E., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2021). Upward spirals of positive emotions and religious behaviors (Accepted). Current Opinion in Psychology, 40, 92–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.09.004Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., Catalino, L. I., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2020). A new micro-intervention to increase the enjoyment and continued practice of meditation. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 20(8), 1332–1343. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000684Full Text
-
Łowicki, P., Zajenkowski, M., & Van Cappellen, P. (2020). It's the heart that matters: The relationships among cognitive mentalizing ability, emotional empathy, and religiosity. Personality and Individual Differences, 161, 109976–109976. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109976Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P. (2020). The emotion of joy: commentary on Johnson. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(1), 40–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1685571Full Text
-
Fredrickson, B. L., Arizmendi, C., Van Cappellen, P., Firestine, A. M., Brantley, M. M., Kim, S. L., … Salzberg, S. (2019). Do Contemplative Moments Matter? Effects of Informal Meditation on Emotions and Perceived Social Integration. Mindfulness, 10(9), 1915–1925. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01154-2Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., Rice, E. L., Catalino, L. I., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2018). Positive affective processes underlie positive health behaviour change. Psychology & Health, 33(1), 77–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2017.1320798Full Text
-
Fredrickson, B. L., Boulton, A. J., Firestine, A. M., Van Cappellen, P., Algoe, S. B., Brantley, M. M., … Salzberg, S. (2017). Positive Emotion Correlates of Meditation Practice: a Comparison of Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-Kindness Meditation. Mindfulness, 8(6), 1623–1633. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0735-9Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., Fredrickson, B. L., Saroglou, V., & Corneille, O. (2017). Religiosity and the motivation for social affiliation. Personality and Individual Differences, 113, 24–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.02.065Full Text Open Access Copy
-
Clobert, M., Van Cappellen, P., Bourdon, M., & Cohen, A. B. (2016). Good day for Leos: Horoscope's influence on perception, cognitive performances, and creativity. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 348–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.032Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., Way, B. M., Isgett, S. F., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2016). Effects of oxytocin administration on spirituality and emotional responses to meditation. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11(10), 1579–1587. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsw078Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., Toth-Gauthier, M., Saroglou, V., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2016). Religion and Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Positive Emotions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 17(2), 485–505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9605-5Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., Saroglou, V., & Toth-Gauthier, M. (2016). Religiosity and Prosocial Behavior Among Churchgoers: Exploring Underlying Mechanisms. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 26(1), 19–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2014.958004Full Text
-
Van Oyen, G., & Van Cappellen, P. (2015). Mark 15,34 and the real reader: the Results of an empirical survey. Ephemerides Theologica Lovanienses, 91, 569-599-569–599.
-
Van Cappellen, P., Saroglou, V., Iweins, C., Piovesana, M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). Self-transcendent positive emotions increase spirituality through basic world assumptions. Cognition & Emotion, 27(8), 1378–1394. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.787395Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P. (2012). La fierté dans les Psaumes, ou le paradoxe de la glorification de soi en Dieu. [Pride in the Psalms, or the paradox of self-glorification in God]. Revue Théologique De Louvain, 43, 341–362.
-
Van Cappellen, P., Corneille, O., Cols, S., & Saroglou, V. (2011). Beyond Mere Compliance to Authoritative Figures: Religious Priming Increases Conformity to Informational Influence Among Submissive People. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 21(2), 97–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2011.556995Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P. (2011). Un rituel collectif: Analyse de 1 Ch 15-16 selon le modèle de E. Durkheim [A collective ritual : analyze of 1 Chr 15-16 from E. Durkheim’s perspective]. Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, 25, 289–302.
-
Saroglou, V., Corneille, O., & Van Cappellen, P. (2009). “Speak, Lord, Your Servant Is Listening”: Religious Priming Activates Submissive Thoughts and Behaviors. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19(3), 143–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508610902880063Full Text
-
Fredrickson, B. L., Arizmendi, C., & Van Cappellen, P. (n.d.). Same-day, cross-day, and upward spiral relations between positive affect and positive health behaviours. Psychology & Health, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2020.1778696Full Text
-
Galdiolo, S., Gaugue, J., Mikolajczak, M., & Van Cappellen, P. (n.d.). Development of Trait Emotional Intelligence in Response to Childbirth: A Longitudinal Couple Perspective. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.560127Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P. (n.d.). Rethinking self-transcendent positive emotions and religion: Insights from psychological and biblical research. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 9(3), 254–263. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000101Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., & LaBouff, J. P. (n.d.). Prejudice toward Christians and atheists among members of nonreligious groups: Attitudes, behaviors, and mechanisms. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 136843022090686–136843022090686. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430220906860Full Text
-
Van Cappellen, P., & Saroglou, V. (n.d.). Awe activates religious and spiritual feelings and behavioral intentions. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 4(3), 223–236. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025986Full Text
-
-
Book Sections
-
Van Cappellen, P., & Rimé, B. (2013). Positive emotions and self-transcendence. In Religion, Personality, and Social Behavior. Psychology Press.
-
-
- Teaching & Mentoring
-
Recent Courses
Some information on this profile has been compiled automatically from Duke databases and external sources. (Our About page explains how this works.) If you see a problem with the information, please write to Scholars@Duke and let us know. We will reply promptly.