More Than a Momentary Blip in the Universe? Investigating the Link Between Religiousness and Perceived Meaning in Life
Open Access
- 29 December 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Vol. 49 (2), 180-196
- https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211060136
Abstract
One longitudinal and four cross-sectional studies (total N = 3,141) tested two candidate explanations for the association between religiousness and perceived meaning in life. Religiousness may foster a sense of significance, importance, or mattering—either to others (social mattering) or in the grand scheme of the universe (cosmic mattering)—which, in turn, support perceived meaning. We found that perceived social mattering mediated, but could not fully explain, the link between religiousness and perceived meaning. In contrast, perceived cosmic mattering did fully explain the association. Overall, results suggest that perceived social and cosmic mattering are each part of the explanation. Yet, perceived cosmic mattering appears to be the stronger mechanism. We discuss how religious faith may be especially suited to support such perceptions, making it a partially unique source of felt meaning.Funding Information
- Kenan Distinguished Professorship Fund (N/A)
- National Institutes of Health (R01CA170128)
This publication has 66 references indexed in Scilit:
- Encounters With Objective Coherence and the Experience of Meaning in LifePsychological Science, 2013
- The Disaggregation of Within-Person and Between-Person Effects in Longitudinal Models of ChangeAnnual Review of Psychology, 2011
- The religion paradox: If religion makes people happy, why are so many dropping out?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011
- Upward spirals of the heart: Autonomic flexibility, as indexed by vagal tone, reciprocally and prospectively predicts positive emotions and social connectednessBiological Psychology, 2010
- The Duke University Religion Index (DUREL): A Five-Item Measure for Use in Epidemological StudiesReligions, 2010
- Individual Differences in Religion and Spirituality: An Issue of Personality Traits and/or ValuesJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2008
- Religious commitment and positive mood as information about meaning in lifeJournal of Research in Personality, 2008
- Meaning in Life: One Link in the Chain From Religiousness to Well-Being.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 2005
- Religion and College Attendance: Change among StudentsThe Review of Higher Education, 2002
- Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health.Psychological Bulletin, 1988