The psychology of religion: Experiential dimensions

The psychology of religion : Experiential dimensions

In this article, we will look into some commonly used methods and theories in the psychology of religion. This research field dates back to the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, when scholars such as Stanley Hall and William James directed attention toward the role of religious experiences and their relation to human nature. Such experiences are focused on here, and as we will see, there are various ways of approaching the interaction between psychology, religion, culture, embodiment, and cognition. This article provides examples of both qualitative and quantitative methods commonly used in the field, and the pros and cons these bring about. We will also examine some prominent schools of thought that differ in their approach to religion and psychology: cultural psychology, clinical psychology, and the cognitive science of religion. While some of these scholars emphasize the role of culture, others center the role of internal, psychological processes. In some cases, the role of embodied practices and collective emotions are seen as crucial for the understanding of religiosity, and in other cases, individual traits are highlighted. This variety of approaches makes up a kaleidoscope of perspectives on the complex and fascinating ways in which religion and psychology interact, and how the outcome of such processes differs between various cultures and contexts.

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