Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Psychology and religion'

Given the current amount of cheating in our society and more specifically in our schools, the focus of this dissertation was to examine the impact of religiosity on cheating behavior in an academic arena. Additionally social norms and the individual difference variable of self-monitoring were also investigated to determine their impact on cheating behavior. Furthermore, self-regulation was examined to determine if non-cheating high self-monitors deplete more self-regulatory resources than those non-cheating low self-monitors in a cheating situation.

Participants completed a religiosity and self-monitoring measure prior to coming into the laboratory. At a date of their choosing, participants completed the laboratory portion of the study. In the laboratory, participants were given a job-competency measure to complete, at which time they were given an opportunity to cheat. The participants completed the job-competency measure alone or in the presence of a confederate. Four different conditions were formed: a control condition, a cheating condition, a passive condition, and an active noncheating condition. It was also in the laboratory that their grip strength was measured.

Contrary to expectations, religiosity was not a significant predictor of cheating behavior. However, norms did impact cheating behavior; there was more cheating when the confederate cheated and less cheating when the confederate discouraged cheating behavior. Additionally, there was an impact of self-monitoring in response to the created norms, such that high self-monitors tended to follow the behaviors of the confederates more so than low self-monitors. Contrary to expectations, self-regulatory resources were not significantly impacted for noncheating high self-monitors in a confederate-induced cheating condition.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest religious motivations mediate the relationship between the religious philosophy and perceived well-being of believers. The intrinsic-extrinsic-quest paradigm has been the dominant measure of religious motivation for more than 3 decades. However, the different effects of intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest motivation on the well-being of believers has not been tested on a stratified, purposeful sample of the major world religions. A quantitative, quasi-experimental research design was used with an online, self-report questionnaire and mediation analysis to examine the effects of religious motivation on the relationship between religious philosophy and well-being. A stratified, purposeful sample of 763 members of the major world religions completed assessments of religion and well-being. Linear regressions revealed that intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest religious motivations were three distinct constructs, that they do exist across the world religions, and that they mediated the relationship between different religions and well-being, depending on which predictor and outcome variables were being examined in the mediation triangle. Positive social change is possible for counselors, therapists, psychologists of religion, religious leaders, and laypersons at the individual and societal level through knowing which religious beliefs, motivations, and practices are associated with positive affect, satisfaction with life, the fulfilment of basic human needs, eudaimonic well-being, and better physical health. Individuals come to religion mainly during times of personal crises as a way of coping, expecting urgent results, and these findings illuminate the effectiveness of their chosen coping strategy.

Very little research has analyzed the conjunction of religion and self-disclosure. Following the previous research conducted by Gregory II, Pomerantz, Pettibone, and Segrist (2008), in which results showed that participants were more willing to seek treatment from a psychologist who identified with one of three major religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism), as opposed to a psychologist who identified as an atheist, this study also aimed to focus on the impact of a therapist’s religion on prospective clients. While remaining true to the previous study, this experiment not only looked to expose the client’s preference towards therapists’ religion, it equally accounted for the degree of devotion to said religion influencing the client’s choice of therapy. Results concluded that different from that of the Gregory et al., (2008) study, participants were just as willing to seek treatment from a psychologist who identified as atheist as they were from a psychologist who identified with one of the three major religions, regardless of participant religiosity or the religiosity of the therapist. Implications of these findings suggest that regardless of psychologists’ religion or religiosity, self-disclosure of such is of no significance.

Cartesian dualism is analyzed as a psychological image, instead of as a philosophical proposition. This is done by first arguing that elements of existing commentary are indicative of a psychological complex, acting unconsciously, in contemporary academic communities. As a hermeneutic study, these elements are then further interpreted through a Jungian lens, specifically cultural complex theory. Myth is used to highlight and identify the deep psychological structures that are active in what I am calling the Cartesian Split complex. In this new context, possible origins are explored in cultural history, as well as its purpose, with potential lessons offered for a wide range of academic fields, including depth psychology. Specifically, there is a call to refine terminology used for consciousness, as well as for the overall mind-body dichotomy. Also, a new approach is offered for the history of consciousness. Most importantly, a diagnosis is given concerning the present nature of consciousness, and a potential remedy is offered, in the form of a new reading of the original texts. Such a new reading, however, depends on a new perspective, that which is constructed by the present study.

Current psychological research into religiosity can be located into two paradigms: the cross-cultural psychology interpretive tradition and the cultural psychology interpretive tradition. To generate support for the latter paradigm, American and Mainland Chinese respondents were asked to describe a religious or spiritual other as a way of exploring the impact of individualism-collectivism cultural values on expressions of religiosity. Statements from Chinese respondents were expected to have more socially related content compared to American respondents. Responses were analyzed using a linguistic analysis computer program with attention given to social process, family, friends, and humans content. Raters were also instructed to generate categories based on the content of the responses. No significant differences were found between American and Mainland Chinese respondents on all four content categories. Religious self-rating was found to significantly predict family content, while religious and spiritual self-ratings significantly predicted humans content. Raters also generated 11 categories from American responses, and 10 categories from Mainland Chinese responses. Methodological and theoretical implications are also discussed.

The alchemical hermeneutic methodology utilizes a depth psychological understanding of alchemical operations as an interpretive lens. These processes, viewed from a depth psychological perspective, become the hermeneutical foci through which to interpret select spiritual texts. Following Jung and Romanyshyn, this dissertation further develops an alchemical hermeneutic, and utilizes this textual approach in the interpretation of four texts/traditions in order to create new horizons of meaning, expand the reader’s relationship to text and self at personal and transpersonal levels, as well as broaden, deepen, and define a more psychologically sophisticated approach to certain spiritual texts. This multipaper theoretical dissertation discusses this hermeneutic process and uses the alchemical approach in the interpretation of the following texts and traditions: The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, The Dark Night by John of the Cross, and select passages on the heart from the Upanis&dotbelow;ads and Eastern Christian spirituality.

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if and to what extent a relationship existed between orientations toward religion and academic motivation in a sample of 338 students enrolled in a Christian University in the Southwest United States. Self-determination theory provided the theoretical framework. Religiosity was measured using the Revised Intrinsic/Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale with three factors. Academic motivation was measured using the Academic Motivation Scale, college version, with seven factors. Results of the Spearman’s rank correlations identified multiple significant relationships supporting the alternative hypotheses. There were significant and consistently inverse correlations of intrinsic orientation towards religion with academic intrinsic motivation towards accomplishment, academic intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation, academic extrinsic motivation introjected regulation, academic extrinsic motivation external regulation, and academic amotivation (ρ = –.351, p < .001 to ρ = –.136, p = .012). There were significant and consistently direct correlations of extrinsic social orientation towards religion and academic extrinsic motivation introjected regulation (ρ = .141, p = .009), and academic extrinsic motivation external regulation (ρ = .130, p = .017). Lastly, there were significant and consistently direct correlations of extrinsic personal orientation towards religion and academic intrinsic motivation to know, academic intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment, academic intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation, academic extrinsic motivation identified regulation, academic extrinsic motivation introjected regulation, and academic extrinsic motivation external regulation (ρ = .177, p = .001 to ρ = .329, p < .001). The results indicated that religious orientation does relate to one’s motivation for behavior in an academic setting.

Practices that cultivate healthy relationships with self and others are always needed and valuable, especially during this modern time of ever-increasing fragmentation through technology. Cultivating empathy individually and communally promotes increased levels of connection among individuals and can create greater harmony among communities. Centering prayer offers an intervention that respects Christian practices of contemplation and can address care needs. This study investigated the impact of centering prayer on levels of empathy. This study was conducted through a single group pilot study using a mixed methods design. Given that centering prayer is primarily a Christian practice of contemplation, the population for this study was a Christian church community. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered to create a greater understanding of possible applications for centering prayer. The initial findings from this study support centering prayer as a positive intervention to help build psychological and emotional tools of empathy that can be added to church community offerings or Christian organizations.