Daring and brilliant though his analysis was, its bold claims and questionable premises has made it the subject of ongoing academic debate. Thus, to clarify the role of each, including our reasons for performing rituals, psychological methods of research are needed. Influenced by fowlers theory, parks 2000 provides a detailed view of the young adult faith journey. This is a rather unusual book on the psychology of religion. Other psychological approaches another major figure in the psychology of religion is william james, who took a much more sympathetic view of religious phenomena. Religion is an important part of the lives of billions of people around the world, and a cross culturally recurrent aspect of minds and cultures. Then it provides an overview and a critique of pargaments theory. Religion, by and large, represents societys attempts to answer those questions. The past century has seen the relationship between psychology and religion progress from wary antagonists to strange bedfellows to complementary worldviews.
This discussion of the essence of human spirituality links the topic to religion. The cognitive science of religion csr is a scientific approach to the study of religion that combines methods and theory from cognitive, developmental and evolutionary psychology with the sorts of questions that animate anthropologists and historians of religion. Let us consider what hill and gibson 2008 have identified as three theories of continuing promise for the psychology of religion. Religion is most often understood to refer to individual experiences, attitudes, and conduct, but its referent is sometimes the diverse contentsimages, doctrines, myths, ritualsof. Sigmund freud and his psychological views on religion. First of all, it is true that with the progress of science the influence of religion will disappear. While other theorists such as marx, durkheim, and weber were interested in religion as a social phenomenon, the primary focus of the psychological approach to religion is the way in which religion operates in the mind of the individual. Provides students with a theoretical and human context for understanding the theory of religion. But i also take a sympathetic view of religioni have faith in both enterprises, psychology and religion, and believe that in the end they can be harmonised.
Sigmund freud and his psychoanalytical views on religion. The sociological approach to religion introduction to sociology. By mutual agreement, james was credited with being the purported founder of the psychology of religion and maslow the quintessential culmination of the disciplines respectability. Attachment to god, images of god, and psychological distress. The psychology of religion emerged as a distinct subdiscipline in the usa in the latter part of the twentieth century and really only began to gather momentum in britain in the 1990s. The cognitive science of religion the psychologist. Sociological theories of religion the ideas of three early sociological theorists continue to strongly influence the sociology of religion. Pdf the theories of religion and spirituality in psychology and. It is the study, through empirical and academic means, of the spiritual e. The father of experimental psychology, wilhelm wundt was a pioneer in this field. Eriksons theory has not benefited from systematic empirical study, but it remains an influential and wellregarded theory in the psychological study of religion. Each chapter introduces the theory and provides a biography of each thinker. Levys theory, however, 1 is out of keeping with much research in.
At various points in his writings, he suggested that religion was an attempt to control the oedipal complex as opposed to the electra complex, a means of giving structure to social groups, wish fulfillment, an infantile delusion, and an attempt to control the outside world. Max muller initiated what he called a science of religion approach to study religion. Psychology of religion a commentary on the classic texts. Some have said people seek religion to cope with a fear of death, others call it the basis for morality, and various other theories abound but in a new book, a psychologist who has studied human.
Bryan s turner, 2011, religion and contemporary sociological theories, sociopedia. The fossils of creatures that lived before us faithfully record the innovations and changes leading to the diversity of life that we observe today. This chapter operates with a notion of theory as an interconnected set of ideas or statements expressed in language that frames cognitive claims about some phenomenon. Erik erikson 19021994 is best known for his theory of psychological. It reinforces social norms such as appropriate styles of dress, following the law, and regulating sexual behavior. Conflict theorists view religion as an institution that helps maintain patterns of social inequality. In the matter of religions it is particularly easy to distinguish the two orders of question. Marxs theory of religion is faced with few criticisms. Theory and research jeff levin abstract this article provides an overview of psychiatric and mental health research on religion. Though obviously subjective, the survey did register a consensus of scholars. Theory interrelated sets of concepts and propositions, organized into a deductive system to explain relationships about certain aspects of the world e.
Show full abstract cognitive science of religion and 2 misrepresents the notion of factual belief employed in my theory. Jul 08, 2015 to put it simply, freud believed that religion was the projection of the childs physical relationship with its father. This article proposes that pargaments theory of religious coping can be a theoretical beacon to spiritually sensitive social work practice. The psychology of religion emerged as a discipline in the nineteenth century, just as various other approaches to religion as an object of study were similarly gaining traction. The society for the psychology of religion and spirituality is a division of the american psychological association that promotes psychological theory, research, and clinical practice to understand the significance of religion and spirituality in peoples lives and in the discipline of psychology. According to durkheim, people see religion as contributing to the health and continuation of society in general. Anthropological theories of religion usefully may be divided into three groups. Free the psychological approach to the study of religion essay. Explain how functionalists view the purpose of religion in society. The psychological architecture that produces godrelated thought and activity has evolved for other purposes, and religion falls out of it as relatively harmless. The distinction between data and theory is best conceived of in a relative sense. Key psychological issues in the study of religion 353 nomena. This approach asserts that people have faith because beliefs make sense insofar as they hold value and are comprehensible.
The positivist tradition encourages the study of society using dispassionate and scientific methods. What psychological factors gave rise to particular religious. The approach of the book, in each case, shows how the theory of religion emerges not only from the theorists psychological theory, but also from his own life experience. This chapter is concerned largely with the theories of religion advanced by sigmund freud 18561939 and carl jung 18751961 for it was they who.
It is therefore the thrust of this paper to unveil the current trends in the theories of religious studies since 1970 till date and to show how these have led to proliferation of religious groups worldwide. Nov 12, 2015 theory in the psychology of religion is in a state of rapid development, and the present volume demonstrates how various positions in this field may be translated into original foundational work that will in turn encourage exploration in many directions. Durkheims theory of religion exemplifies how functionalists examine sociological phenomena. The psychology of religion consists of the systematic study and interpretation of religion using the methods and theories of contemporary western psychology. These three words, for the purpose of this paper, are assumed to.
Evaluation of each theory relates the psychological understanding of religion to the classical psychological theories and the various schools or traditions in psychological thought psychoanalytic, jungian, humanistic, existentialist. In simple terms, the functional approach sees religion as performing certain functions for society theories by karl marx role of religion in capitalist and precapitalist societies, sigmund freud psychological origin of religious beliefs, emile durkheim social function of religions, and the theory by stark and bainbridge exemplify. An attachmenttheory approach psychology of religion. Psychology of religion a commentary on the classic. Science and technology in the twentyfirst century have reached a stage of unprecedented growth, but still there is influence of religion. The theory of psychological types in the psychology of religion and spirituality the main objective of this paper is to present the current state of empirical research on the application of the theory of jungian types to the psycholo gy of religion and spirituality, pointing out the necessity of broadening them by including polish co ntext. The functionalist perspective on religion boundless sociology. Attachment to god, images of god, and psychological. A research guide for those taking the introductory course in religious studies at. At the same time, faith development can be seen in such a way that it can also be interpreted theologically and filled with substantive beliefs p.
While other theorists such as marx, durkheim, and weber were interested in religion as a social phenomenon, the primary focus of the psychological approach to religion is the way in which religion. Serves students with a series of leading questions as a basis for their own critical reflection and judgment. Thus, religion functions to bind societys members by prompting them to affirm their common values and beliefs on a regular basis. Even though none of these three men was particularly religious, the power that religion holds over people and societies interested them all. The focus of this chapter is one segment of theory in the study of religion. This study was to be based on accurate information about nonwestern traditions, and evenly compared to all types of religion worldwide in the early 1900s, a man named mircea elide decided to take the comparative approach on religion. Applied psychology in education, mental health, and business, valdosta, ga, october 3. He argued that this could explain the known movements of the sun, moon and planets better than theories of. The american scholar erich fromm 19001980 modified the freudian theory and produced a more complex account of the functions of religion. Psychological theories of religion by james forsyth.
He recorded his first thoughts on the nature of religion in total and taboo published in 19. Annotated views of some scholars in theories of religious studies. This book surveys the major theorists in the psychology of religion sigmund freud, c. As usual i try my very best to set down what is empirically true in the light of what is now extensive evidence on this subject. While it isnt always able to achieve that goalmany religious claims can be disproven by psychology today. Every religious phenomenon has its history and its derivation from natural antecedents. A key challenge lies in how to reconcile communityspecific applications with broader theories that guide research. This neglect stems from a couple of different factors. Sigmund freuds theories about religion verywell mind. What role do religion and spirituality play in mental health. His theory may thus be seen as the extreme opposite to richard dawkinss biological interpretation of religion dawkins 206, who while equally using evolutionary theory and cognitive psychology. These trends became visible after the establishment of apa division 36, psychology of religion, in 1976. Each of these theorists presents a more or less comprehensive theory of religion, which attempts to give an account of the psychological. This is a timely debate for reasons both within and outside the field of psychology.
Sep 07, 2018 freuds other important works on religion include civilization and its discontents, moses and monotheism, and totem and taboo. Different theories of religion pervade the academia to explain happenings in religious parlance. The focus is on the theory of religion and its evolutionary and psychological background. Others argue that religion serves no psychological or sociological functions at all. First, conceptual models of religion and of mental health used throughout this literature are described. The psychology of religion is the study of religion from the human psychological point of view. What is nowadays called the higher criticism of the bible is only a study. Despite the widespread prevalence of religious beliefs in society, some researchers have maintained that religion and religious beliefs are often neglected in psychological research jones, 1994. Pdf the theories of religion and spirituality in psychology. The cognitive and evolutionary psychology of religion. In totem and taboo freud attributed the origins of religion to the psychological connection between the oedipus complex and totemism. Some argue that religion serves no psychological functions in and of itself. Psychological theories and methods in the study of religion. Mar 30, 2020 religion, freud believed, was an expression of underlying psychological neuroses and distress.
Psychology, religion, and spirituality springerlink. Pdf on oct 10, 2007, janek musek and others published the theories of religion and spirituality in psychology and cognitive sciences. Given the ubiquitous role of religion in human affairs, what are the psychological functions of religion. This approach tends to focus more on the subconscious motives why people have beliefs that are irrational, and they are popularly known as scientific approach to religious studies. I find it interesting how psychologists of the past have used psychology to either explain religion or explain it away. Originally a friend and younger contemporary of freud, jung eventually went his own way, unable to agree with freuds sexual emphasis.
I will conclude with some methodological comments on rues theoretical. In psychologys early days, at a time when all psychological thinking was fresh and new, and when theory, research methods, statistical tools, and. Cognitive biases explain religious belief, paranormal. Psychology of religion consists of the application of psychological methods and interpretive frameworks to the diverse contents of religious traditions as well as to both religious and irreligious individuals. Known for his scholarly work and his scientific analyses of religion s role in mental health, he served as editorinchief of the apa handbook of psychology, religion and spirituality published in january 20. In fact, very often we can verify the shaping power on people of certain sociological, economical, anthropological, psychological theories. At various points in his writings, he suggested that religion was an attempt to control the oedipal complex as opposed to the electra complex, a means of giving structure to social groups, wish fulfillment, an infantile delusion, and an. Those who study religion from the psychological perspective are interested in three primary areas that may be broadly characterized as past, present, and future.
A small but growing literature, which has extended attachment theory to include religious phenomena, suggests that intimate relationships between humans and god meet the defining criteria of attachmentsthat is, proximityseeking behavior, a haven of safety, and a secure base hood et al. James forsyth has produced a compelling survey of seminal psychological theorists, including freud, jung, james, fromm, allport, maslow, and frankl, to explain to students how theories of religion emerge from both theory and life experience. A terror management analysis of the psychological functions. The psychology of religion by starbuck, edwin diller, 18661947. Psychology, religion, and spirituality is designed as a text that reflects this history while illuminating the robust dialogue that continues to accompany it. Forsyth, psychological theories of religion pearson. Theories of religion encyclopedia article citizendium. Key psychological issues in the study of religion,, a. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that attachment theory, as origi nally proposed by john bowlby and subsequently refined by a host of other researchers, provides a powerful framework for integrating research and theory concerning the psychology of religion. The history of religion is much shorter, yet it too has left a fossil record. Psychological models and theories of religion the psychologica l models and theories of religious and spiritual experience could be divid ed into several groups tab le. Introduction the state of theory in the psychology of religion and spirituality prs is a study in contrasts.
The extraordinary range of methods and frameworks can be helpfully summed up regarding the classic distinction between the naturalscientific and human. Psychology of religion consists of the application of psychological methods and interpretive. The origin of religions revisited when we study the history of life, it easy to see that life has evolved over time. To me, there is noone more interesting in the field of psychology and religion and sigmund freud. Religion, freud believed, was an expression of underlying psychological neuroses and distress.
Publication date 1911 topics psychology, religious publisher london, the walter scott publishing co. This chapter is concerned largely with the theories of religion advanced by sigmund freud 18561939 and carl jung 18751961 for it was they who established the paradigms that have come to dominate the psychological, and psychoanalytical, understanding of and approach to religion. Though obviously subjective, the survey did register a. Substantive or essentialist theories that focus on the contents of religions and the meaning the contents have for people. They recognise that the study of religion cannot advance without a contribution of psychology simply because psychological questions are different from those asked in the other departments of religious stud. Psychologists cannot overlook that all three sources clearly pertain to the mind. Religion and psychology essay example 729 words 3 pages. Psychological models and theories of religion the psychologica l models and theories of religious and spiritual experience could be divid ed into several groups tab le 1. Each of these theorists presents a more or less comprehensive theory of religion, which attempts to give an account of the psychological origin andor value of religion.
In its first part from 1st to 28th lecture freud enthusiastically outlines his approach to the. The functionalist perspective, which originates from emile durkheims work on religion, highlights the social role of religion. About the society for the psychology of religion and spirituality. Religion is central to durkheims theory of society, and his work laid most of the foundations of the sociology of religion.
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