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Distant Intercessory Prayer 1
Running head INTERCESSORY PRAYER AND TASK PERFORMANCE
Distant Intercessory Prayer and Task Performance
Lynn M. Munson and Douglas Degelman Do my essay on Distant Intercessory Prayer CHEAP !
Vanguard University of Southern California
Distant Intercessory Prayer
Abstract
In an extension of research demonstrating causal effects of intercessory prayer for physical
healing in a medical setting, the present study experimentally examined the effects of
intercessory prayer for improved task performance in an employment setting. Trained
customer service representatives either did, or did not, receive (over a 14-day period) daily
intercessory prayer for the specific needs and challenges of their workplace. Speed of call
handling was evaluated for each customer service representative. The specific dependent
measures were number of calls per hour and number of seconds per call. No statistically
significant differences between prayer and non-prayer groups were found for either calls per
hour or seconds per call. Recommendations for research in this new area of study center on
methodological issues, including the selection of relevant dependent measures.
Distant Intercessory Prayer
Distant Intercessory Prayer and Task Performance
Reviews of research on religion and health have concluded that at least some types of
religious behaviors are related to higher levels of physical and mental health (Gartner, Larson, &
Allen, 11; Koenig, 10; Levin & Vanderpool, 11; Maton & Pargament, 187; Paloma &
Pendleton, 11; Payne, Bergin, Bielema, & Jenkins, 11). One of the "religious behaviors" that
has been shown to be related to health and well-being is prayer (Finney & Maloney, 185;
McCullough, 15; Paloma & Pendleton, 11).
The empirical studies examined in these reviews have almost all revealed a significant
relationship between an individuals religious belief system and measures of well-being (Aldridge,
11; Friedman & Benson, 17; Larson et al., 1; Matthews, 17). A more difficult question
to answer is whether the relationship between religion and health, or more specifically between
prayer and health, is causal. Most studies examining prayer and health are correlational, leaving
unanswered the question of whether prayer is causing the observed changes in health. To
illustrate, if individuals who pray for physical healing (or know that others are praying for them)
have more positive outcome measures, many would argue that the positive outcome is not the
direct effect of the prayer, but instead may be the result of positive cognitive expectations.
One study that has experimentally examined the causal effect of prayer on health measures
was conducted by Randolph Byrd (188). Byrd conducted what has proved to be a landmark
study experimentally examining the causal effect of intercessory prayer (prayer offered on behalf
of another) on recovery from cardiological illness. In this double-blind study, patients in a
coronary care unit either received or did not receive daily prayer (while hospitalized) from
Christian prayer intercessors. Patients receiving prayer had "less congestive heart failure, required
less diuretic and antibiotic therapy, had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests,
and were less frequently intubated and ventilated" (Byrd, 188, p. 8).
In another randomized, double-blind study on the effect of healing therapy utilizing
intercessory prayer on insulin dosage in type I diabetes mellitus patients, Wirth and Mitchell
(14) found that although there was a reduction in insulin dosage over a period of two weeks in
Distant Intercessory Prayer 4
the treatment condition compared to the control condition, the difference was not statistically
significant.
Although Byrds (188) study provides some evidence of a causal effect of prayer on
medical outcomes, there have been no comparable studies examining the potential causal effects
of prayer outside a medical setting. One important setting in which to study prayer is the
workplace, where prayer may address issues such as potential interpersonal conflict and the
pressures inherent in most workplaces (such as deadlines and performance evaluations). The
workplace clearly represents an untapped area for research into the possible causal effects of
intercessory prayer.
The specific purpose of the present study was to utilize the double-blind methodology of
Byrds (188) study on health outcomes to evaluate the "distance" effects (Dossey, 17; Schlitz,
17) of intercessory prayer (prayer without the individuals presence or awareness) on
occupational task performance. In a health care customer service call center, will individuals
receiving prayer evidence different levels of task performance (number of calls answered per hour
and number of seconds per call) compared to individuals who are not receiving prayer?
Method
Participants
Research participants were 10 trained customer service call center representatives ( men
and 4 women) all residing in southern California.
1
The mean age for the men was 4.0 years (SD
= 8.8), and the mean age for the women was 7. years (SD = 8.). Ethnicity of participants was
not evaluated. All study participants had at least six months and no more than two years
experience in this customer service call center environment. Primary responsibilities of the
customer service representatives were to respond to member questions concerning health care
coverage and to attempt to resolve member complaints. Participants worked in a controlled
environment at individual pod-like workstations, which were grouped in clusters of five. Each
used identical computer and phone answering equipment. Calls were distributed equally as
representatives were available.
Distant Intercessory Prayer 5
Two women (ages 6 and 55) served as prayer intercessors for the study. The intercessors
were self-identified Christians who were active participants in prayer ministries in a local United
Methodist church.
Apparatus
Data on answer speed and call handling time was attained utilizing the Northern Telecom
Meridian Max call reporting system. A daily prayer log sheet was used as a self report by prayer
intercessors.
Procedure
Participants were randomly assigned by gender- and age-matched pairs to prayer and nonprayer
groups. Participants had no knowledge that a study on intercessory prayer was being
conducted, but they were aware of ongoing monitoring of their phone interactions with
customers. Permission to use these data for the current study was obtained. Customer service
representatives in the prayer group were assigned to two prayer intercessors who had no prior
knowledge of the participants. Intercessors were provided with general information related to
potential work environment challenges and specific information (age, gender, and identification
number) about those for whom they were to pray. They were directed to offer daily specific
prayers for efficiency, alertness, and wisdom with members issues. Most prayers were -5
minutes in length. Intercessors recorded daily prayer "events" for each individual.
The study period spanned a 7-day pretest period (11//6 to 11//6) and a 14-day
experimental period (11/10/6 to 11//6). Daily measurements of number of calls answered per
hour and call handling time (number of seconds per call) were obtained.
Results
For each participant, the mean number of calls per hour and the mean number of seconds
per call for both the seven-day pretest period and the fourteen-day experimental period were
obtained. Table 1 presents, for both prayer and non-prayer groups, the means and standard
deviations of both measures (calls per hour and seconds per call) for both pretest period and
experimental period.
Distant Intercessory Prayer 6
Preliminary analyses of pretest calls per hour and seconds per call revealed no significant
differences between prayer and non-prayer groups for either calls per hour, F (1, 6) = 0.4, p =
.5, or seconds per call, F (1, 6) = 0., p = .4.
Multivariate tests of significance of calls per hour and seconds per call (and follow-up
univariate tests of significance of each) revealed no significant differences between prayer and
non-prayer groups in the change in either the mean number of calls per hour or the mean number
of seconds per call from pretest period to experimental period (all ps .10).
Discussion
The major finding of this study is that prayer for a two-week time period did not elicit a
statistically significant change in task performance as measured by time per call or number of calls
handled per hour among customer service representatives. While other studies found a correlation
between prayer and physical or mental wellness, this study, which appears to be the first study
dealing with the potential causal effects of prayer on occupational task performance, found no
effect of prayer on the two measures of occupational task performance (calls per hour and
seconds per call).
In considering the results of this exploratory study, several issues are clear. First, it must be
recognized that there are many, many measures potentially affected by intercessory prayer beyond
the physical characteristics of the phone conversations between the customer service
representatives and the customers. A comprehensive list of these measures is not possible, but
included would have to be supervisor evaluations, peer evaluations, customer evaluations,
measures of personal peace, confidence, patience, kindness, insight into customer issues, and
resolution of customer issues. As the study of intercessory prayer moves into a new area
(occupational task performance), it is extremely important for researchers to have an ongoing
record of the dependent measures which were, and were not, impacted by intercessory prayer.
The dependent measures employed in this study (calls per hour and seconds per call) were
selected primarily because they were measures that were already being collected by the employer.
These measures may have been relatively insensitive to the effects of prayer due to certain
Distant Intercessory Prayer 7
conditions of employment customer service representatives received "incentives" (both monetary
and status) for efficient handling of calls. Thus, customer service representatives may have been
performing at or near optimal levels, resulting in a ceiling effect.
Second, there is an acknowledged need to report findings of statistical nonsignificance,
especially as research moves into a new area. Schlitz (17) and Larson et al. (1) both noted
the deleterious effects of selective reporting of only statistically significant effects. When a study
employs careful controls (such as the present study which controlled the potential biasing effects
of participant knowledge of being recipients of prayer), findings of statistical nonsignificance are
of greater value than studies in which several rival hypotheses can be identified.
Third, if the effect size that is being examined is reliable yet relatively small, there may be
several factors that determine whether a statistically significant effect is observed in a specific
situation. Schlitz (17) observed that the need of participants seems to increase effect size. To
the extent that this is so, we would expect employees of whom there are high expectations, or
who are experiencing prolonged stressful situations, or who operate in a highly competitive
setting might be more likely to be affected by intercessory prayer. Although some of these
conditions presumably applied in the present study, the selection of dependent measures may have
obscured their impact. Future research in this area should carefully consider the level of
participant need.
Few fields of research are as open and inviting as the study of the effects of intercessory
prayer in the workplace! In addition to the many potentially important dependent measures
already mentioned, future research needs to address additional variables such as the nature and
length of the intercessory prayer, the length of time the intercessory prayer period lasts, the
personal characteristics of both the participants and the intercessors (including age, gender, and
ethnicity), and the occupational characteristics of those receiving prayer (including type of
position, length of employment, and ongoing levels of stress). As future research begins to map
out the complex ways in which intercessory prayer impacts those in the workplace, additional
issues such as the endurance of the effects of prayer over time will certainly arise.
Distant Intercessory Prayer 8
References
Aldridge, D. (11). Spirituality, healing and medicine. British Journal of General Practice, 41,
45-47.
Byrd, R. C. (188). Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in a coronary care unit
population. Southern Medical Journal, 81, 86-8.
Dossey, L. (17, March). Prayer as distant intentionality An idea whose time has come. Paper
presented at the meeting of Spirituality and Healing in Medicine-II, Los Angeles, CA.
Finney, J. R., & Malony, H. N. (185). Empirical studies of Christian prayer A review of the
literature. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 104-115.
Friedman, R., & Benson, H. (17). Spirituality and medicine. Mind/Body Medicine, , 1-.
Gartner, J., Larson, D. B., & Allen, G. D. (11). Religious commitment and mental health A
review of the empirical literature. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 6-5.
Koenig, H. G. (10). Research on religion and mental health in later life A review and
commentary. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, , -5.
Larson, D. B., Sherrill, K. A., Lyons, J. S., Craigie, F. C., Thielman, S. B., Greenwold, M. A., et
al. (1). Associations between dimensions of religious commitment and mental health
reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry and Archives of General Psychiatry 178-
18. American Journal of Psychiatry, 14, 557-55.
Levin, J. S., & Vanderpool, H. Y. (11). Religious factors in physical health and the prevention
of illness. Prevention in Human Services, (), 41-64.
Maton, K. I., & Pargament, K. I. (187). The roles of religion in prevention and promotion.
Prevention in Human Services, 5, 161-05.
Matthews, D. A. (17). Religion and spirituality in primary care. Mind/Body Medicine, , -1.
McCullough, M. E. (15) Prayer and health Conceptual issues, research review, and research
agenda. Journal of Psychology and Theology, , 15-.
Paloma, M. M., & Pendleton, B. F. (11). The effects of prayer and prayer experiences on
measures of general well-being. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 71-8.
Distant Intercessory Prayer
Payne, I. R., Bergin, A. E., Bielema, K. A., & Jenkins, P. H. (11). Review of religion and
mental health Prevention and the enhancement of psychosocial functioning. Prevention in
Human Services, (), 11-40.
Schlitz, M. J. (17, March). Healing effects of intercessory prayer and distance intentionality.
Paper presented at the meeting of Spirituality and Healing in Medicine-II, Los Angeles, CA.
Wirth, D. P., & Mitchell, B. J. (14). Complementary healing therapy for patients with Type I
diabetes mellitus. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 8, 67-77.
Distant Intercessory Prayer 10
Table 1
Means and Standard Deviations of Mean Calls Per Hour and Mean Seconds Per Call for
Prayer and Non-Prayer Groups by Period
Period
Measure Pretest Experimental
Prayer
Calls Per Hour
M 7.88 7.6
SD 1.86 .0
Seconds Per Call
M 50.05 55.01
SD 71.7 6.86
Non-Prayer
Calls Per Hour
M 8. 7.8
SD .16 .10
Seconds Per Call
M 0. 5.6
SD 8. 81.5
Distant Intercessory Prayer 11
Author Note
Requests for reprints should be sent to Lynn M. Munson, 108 Trident Lane, Huntington
Beach, CA 646.
Distant Intercessory Prayer 1
Footnote
1The study began with 115 participants; data from 1 were dropped due to insufficient data
resulting from illnesses and unexpected days off.
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