Title: The psychology of religious behaviour, belief and experience /
Authors: Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin.; Argyle, Michael.
Publisher: Routledge,
Year: 1997
Subjects: Psychology, Religious.
Abstract: "The Psychology of Religious Behaviour, Belief and Experience is the most comprehensive survey available of theories and research on religion from the perspective of psychology. Religious belief is never evenly distributed, and is correlated with such variables as social background, gender and personality characteristics. Beit-Hallahmi and Argyle use findings in these areas to test numerous explanations of the origins and functions of religion in human culture. They also consider social consequences of religiosity, religious experience, religious attitudes, the effect of religion on health, the acquisition of beliefs, conversion, and the benefits or otherwise of religion. Their main conclusion is that religiosity is first and foremost social, and is learned like other kinds of social acts." "Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi and Michael Argyle are renowned for their clear, analytical approach, and this new state-of-the-art study of psychology and religion is no exception. It will be welcomed as an update to their previous work in the area by social psychologists, sociologists and theologians worldwide."--BOOK JACKET.
Contents: Religious phenomena and their interpretations -- Explanations and research hypotheses -- Research methods: methods of studying religious phenomena, their correlates, causes and effects -- Ritual and clergy -- Religious experience -- Acquiring religious beliefs: socialization and continuity -- Changing beliefs and identities: conversion, religious movements, and defection -- Religion as a dependent variable: gender, age, class, and community -- The effect of individual differences in personality and ability -- The effects of religiosity: individual level -- The effects of religiosity: group level -- Evidence, inferences, and interpretations.