Religiosity and Anomalous Experiences among College Students

Western definitions of religion frequently fail to acknowledge ways in which non-Western people have profoundly religious sensibilities. This study examines the experiences of Japanese college students to suggest (1) aspects of Japanese religiosity, and (2) a more holistic perspective on religious experience. Students were asked to report their anomalous experiences; this data is compared to that of students from other cultures. This study concludes that Japanese people have a broad range of anomalous experiences that might well be considered religious experiences in a different culture.