Evaluation of the legitimacy of conversion experience as a function of thefive signs of Mark 16

Judgments regarding the legitimacy of a hypothetical conversion experience as a function of the five signs practiced by members of the serpent handlin g holiness sects (SHS) were investigated. Three pilot studies established t he usefulness of a measure of prejudice developed by Ehrlich (1973) to iden tify stereotyping, negative affect, and specific behavioral intentions and found that it strongly associated with the rejection of conversion to the e xtent to which it was related to the ore extreme signs identified in Mark 1 6 - particularly the drinking of poison and the handling of serpents. fn th e major study with a sample of 453 participants it was demonstrated that ev aluation of the legitimacy of conversion was based both upon prejudice and evaluative reasons. However partialing out evaluative reasons from the thre e prejudice measures still resulted in a strong relationship between all pr ejudice measures and the legitimacy of conversion as a function of the more extreme signs of Mark 16 The relevance of separating prejudice fr om ratio nal rejection of SHS is addressed in the context of legal repercussions for SHS in most Appalachian states.