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Journal of Happiness Studies

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18.12.2014 | Research Paper

Religion and Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Positive Emotions

verfasst von: Patty Van Cappellen, Maria Toth-Gauthier, Vassilis Saroglou, Barbara L. Fredrickson

Erschienen in: Journal of Happiness Studies | Ausgabe 2/2016

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Abstract

Research has consistently shown that endorsing a religion or spirituality is to some extent related to one’s well-being. Common studied explanations tap into the social and cognitive aspects of religion and spirituality. The present research aims at understanding how religiosity and spirituality exert their impact on well-being and investigates the role of a surprisingly neglected mechanism: positive emotions. Two cross-sectional studies using a quantitative approach are presented. In two different contexts (churchgoers in a European country and US university employees interested in meditation), results showed that the relation between religion (Study 1), spirituality (Study 2) and well-being is mediated by positive emotions. Distinguishing between more and less relevant positive emotions in a religious/spiritual context, it was found that the effect was mediated by self-transcendent positive emotions (awe, gratitude, love, and peace) but not by other positive emotions (amusement and pride).

Vorheriger Artikel The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire: A Brief, Multidimensional Measure of Undergraduate’s Covitality

Nächster Artikel Acculturation, Economic Stress, Social Relationships and School Satisfaction Among Migrant Children in Urban China

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Peacefulness does not typically appear on lists of self-transcendent positive emotions. It is actually an infrequent target of research. However, definitions of peacefulness/serenity include elements of self-transcendence (“a mindful broadening of a person’s self-views and world views,” Fredrickson 1998, p. 306) and peacefulness is a very common emotion reported during self-transcendent experiences such as mystical experiences (Spilka et al. 1992).

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Titel: Religion and Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Positive Emotions
verfasst von: Patty Van Cappellen
Maria Toth-Gauthier
Vassilis Saroglou
Barbara L. Fredrickson
Publikationsdatum: 18.12.2014
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in: Journal of Happiness Studies / Ausgabe 2/2016
Print ISSN: 1389-4978
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-7780
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9605-5

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