Psychological Perspectives on Identity, Religion and Well-Being : Empirical Findings From India

This book takes a social psychological perspective to study the ways in which identity, religious beliefs and well-being are related to and affect each other in the contemporary world. It simultaneously draws upon intellectual resources from the extant interdisciplinary literature to build connections within the broader societal context. In view of the social diversity and changes in post-globalization India, issues of identity, religion and well-being emerge as dynamic and vibrant aspects of social reality in both individual and group contexts, across age groups and genders. The current social-cultural-political scenario in the India, therefore, points to the need to investigate the outcome of personal and social well-being in relation to identity and religion. As contexts change, these issues take different shades and influence human conditions differentially. This book undertakes the investigation by going beyond the traditional tropes of behavioral science and discussing the dynamic interplay and confluence of socio-cultural-political variables in changing times. It draws from a large sample from the four major religious faiths in India―Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism―and enables readers to understand significant interactions among facets of identity (personal and social), religious beliefs and practices and well-being (personal and social) with age and gender in an important segment of the global population. Preface Contents About the Authors 1 Introduction 1.1 Religion as Performance: Making of a Shared Public Domain 1.2 Being Religious in the Indian Context 1.3 Religion in the Life-World: Individual and Collective Facets 1.4 Religion in the Context of Psychology and Social Sciences 1.5 The Complexity of Social Identity 1.6 Societal Context of Identity: The Indian Experience 1.7 Religion and the Formation of Social Identity 1.8 Social and Psychological Functions of Religion 1.9 Religious Behavior: A Key Habit 1.10 Social Identity and Religion: An overview of Indian Research 1.11 Conclusion References 2 Religion, Identity, Socialization, and Well-Being 2.1 Religious Concerns Across Developmental Stages 2.2 Theoretical Perspectives 2.3 Religious Identity and Well-being 2.4 Relationship of Religiosity with Search for Meaning in Life and Achieve Subjective Well-Being 2.5 Religion, Health, and Healing 2.6 Faith and Pilgrimage: From Traditional Sacred Spaces to Exterior Channels of Personal Growth 2.7 Conclusion References 3 The Challenge of Understanding Religious Diversity in India 3.1 Multiple Faiths and Different Worldviews 3.2 Religious Profile of the Indian Population 3.3 The Four Major Religious Traditions and Worldviews 3.3.1 Hinduism 3.3.2 Christianity 3.3.3 Sikhism 3.3.4 Islam 3.4 Comments: Implications of Religion for Social Life 3.5 Conclusion References 4 Methodological Approach 4.1 The Present Study 4.2 Research Questions 4.3 The Strategy of Present Study 4.3.1 Participants 4.4 Locale 4.5 Measures 4.5.1 Identity 4.5.2 Religiousness and Spirituality 4.6 Well-Being: Social and Personal 4.7 Procedure 4.7.1 Preparation of Tools 4.8 Conclusion References 5 Religion and Identity 5.1 Identity Formation Across Religions 5.2 Identity Across Developmental Stages and Genders 5.3 Identity Across Developmental Stages in Different Religious Groups 5.4 Commitment to Others 5.5 Uniqueness Across Developmental Stage and Gender 5.6 Harmony Across Developmental Stages and Genders 5.7 Self-Direction Across Developmental Stage and Gender 5.8 Conclusion References 6 Religious Beliefs and Practices 6.1 Developmental Stage and Gender 6.2 Values and Beliefs Across Religion and Developmental Stage 6.3 Private Religious Practices Across Religion and Developmental Stages 6.4 Private Religious Practices Across Religion and Gender 6.5 Private Religious Practices Across Developmental Stages and Gender 6.6 Religious and Spiritual Coping Across Religion and Gender 6.7 Religious Support Across Religion, Developmental Stage, and Gender 6.8 Organizational Religiousness Across Religious Groups and Gender 6.9 Organizational Religiousness Across Developmental Stages and Gender 6.10 Conclusion References 7 Religion and Well-being 7.1 Social Well-being 7.1.1 Social Acceptance 7.1.2 Social Coherence 7.2 Personal Well-being 7.2.1 Health Status 7.2.2 Agency Thinking 7.2.3 Pathways Thinking 7.3 Conclusion References 8 Identity, Religious Beliefs, and Social Well-Being 8.1 Pattern of Relationship Among Hindu Participants 8.1.1 Identity, Religious Beliefs, and Practices 8.1.2 Identity and Social Well-Being 8.1.3 Social Well-Being, Religious Beliefs, and Practices 8.2 Muslim Participants 8.2.1 Identity and Religious Beliefs and Practices 8.2.2 Identity and Social Well-Being 8.2.3 Social Well-Being and Religious Beliefs and Practices 8.3 Christian Participants 8.3.1 Identity and Religious Beliefs and Practices 8.4 Sikh Participants 8.5 Prediction of Social and Personal Well-Being 8.5.1 Social Well-Being Among Hindus 8.5.2 Well-Being Among Muslims 8.5.3 Well-Being Among Sikhs 8.6 Conclusion References 9 Religion, Identity, and Well-Being: Dynamic Aspects of Socio-Psychological Reality 9.1 Religious Beliefs and Practices 9.1.1 Well-Being 9.2 Patterns of Relationships 9.2.1 Patterns of Relationships in Diverse Religious Groups 9.2.2 Religiosity and Identity as Predictors of Well-Being 9.2.3 Identity 9.2.4 Developmental Stages 9.2.5 Gender 9.2.6 Religious Beliefs and Practices 9.2.7 Well-Being 9.2.8 Personal Well-Being 9.2.9 Identity, Religious Beliefs and Practices, and Well-Being: Patterns of Relationship 9.3 Prediction of Well-Being 9.4 Implications of the Study and Future Directions 9.5 Need of the Hour: An Interdisciplinary Approach 9.6 Health, Mental Health, Counseling, and Therapy 9.7 Need for Religious Literacy in Multi-faith Societies 9.8 Conclusion References