Then the Lord said, 'Let there be natural light': The naturalness preference in Tibetan Buddhists’ evaluations of light

Abstract

The naturalness preference refers to the tendency of individuals to perceive natural items as inherently superior, healthier, or more desirable compared to artificial or synthetic alternatives. Previous research has provided evidence that this cognitive bias is also operative in people's appraisal of light. Here, we took advantage of a testbed in Tibetan areas to examine the hypothesis that religious work may moderate individuals' assessment of different light sources. Drawing upon the exclusive utilization of daylight in the printing practices of the Buddhists at the Dege Sutra-Printing House, we postulated that they would exhibit a stronger preference for natural light compared to their fellow Buddhists. Consistent with our hypothesis, Study 1 found that printers demonstrated a heightened inclination towards natural light compared to other Tibetan Buddhists, despite their shared commitment to the religion. In a field study (Study 2), printers exhibited a greater propensity to choose a decoration scheme featuring natural light resources when compared to other Tibetan Buddhists. Across both studies, our findings indicated that perceptions of the morality and sacredness of light explained the differences between groups. Together, these findings highlight the important role of religious work when examining phenomena related to the evaluation of natural and artificial elements.