Self-Transcendence in the Agoral Gathering

Abstract

We present a psychological interpretation of the effects of Pope John Paul II's 1979 visit to Poland. It is demonstrated that participation in the massive gatherings that accompanied this papal visit facilitated experiences of self-transcendence in participants, and further that the effects of these gatherings on societal consciousness played a significant role in the development of the Solidarnoc movement in Poland in 1980. Approximately 12 million Poles (about 30% of the Polish population) directly participated in the massive gatherings that accompanied this nine-day papal visit. The notion of "agoral gathering" (a new kind of collective behavioral phenomenon) is introduced to describe these large-scale public gatherings that are inspired by higher moral/ social ideas. Participation in these agoral gatherings facilitated the experiences of self-transcendence in gathering participants by promoting (a) a deep identification with other participants and (b) an experience of expression, amplification, clarification, and verification of values. It is further demonstrated how this process of self-transcendence in the agoral gathering might be understood by analyzing (a) the expectations of participants, (b) the beliefs/ values of participants, (c) environmental cues, and (d) interaction among the expectations, belief/values, and environmental cues. Data supporting these interpretations are taken from written reports of participants, participant-observations, pictorial and taped records, and memorial books.

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