Collective Grief, Meaning-Making, and Moral Identity as Mechanisms of Psychological Transformation Extending DeSteno's Social Technology Framework through Ashura Rituals

Abstract

Collective rituals can strengthen social cohesion and promote prosocial behavior. Building on DeSteno’s Social Technology Framework, which conceptualizes ritual as a mechanism for cultivating moral emotions and cooperation, this study examines the psychological processes through which participation in the Shia Muslim commemoration of Ashura facilitates enduring psychological transformation. Using a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 active participants in Ashura rituals. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, combining inductive exploration of lived experiences with deductive interpretation informed by contemporary theories of ritual psychology, meaning-making, emotional synchronization, moral identity, and psychological well-being. Sixteen initial themes were integrated into a six-stage model of psychological transformation. The process begins with collective historical memory of Karbala, which provides the symbolic and moral foundation of the ritual. Through synchronized mourning, recitation, and communal participation, individuals experience emotional synchronization that strengthens social connectedness and collective identity. Participants described integrating the moral narrative of Karbala into their own experiences through “narrative bridging,” whereby collective memory becomes a framework for meaning-making, cognitive reframing of suffering, resilience, gratitude, and moral identity development. Repeated participation was associated with enduring outcomes, including greater purpose, emotional regulation, spiritual growth, compassion, justice orientation, and psychological well-being. The findings support DeSteno’s proposition that rituals function as social technologies while extending the framework by identifying a complementary psychological technology. The proposed model suggests that transformation is fundamentally narrative-mediated, as historical memory, embodied ritual practice, and emotional synchronization interact to produce lasting changes in cognition, identity, meaning-making, and well-being.