Final answer:
Mather's statements suggest that confessions during the witch trials were likely influenced by societal and religious pressures, fear of the devil, and mass hysteria.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mather's statements provide insights into the social and psychological pressures that influenced people to confess during the witch trials. The fear of devilry and the strong religious beliefs of the time, combined with mass hysteria, led many to see the workings of the devil in their community. This, in turn, created an atmosphere where confessions could be coerced or made out of fear for one's life and soul, as well as the desire to conform to the expectations of authority figures and the community.