Mediating role of communion, agency, and private practice on the relationship of spiritual experience and prosocial behavior of the Catholic Youth in the Philippines

Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown associations between spiritual experience and prosocial behaviour. However, the mechanism between spiritual experience and prosocial behaviour has not been thoroughly studied. We argue that communion, agency, and private practice explain their relationship. Spiritual experience cultivates communion by forming a connection with others. Spiritual experience increases the sense of self or agency, which leads to prosocial behaviour by being more sensitive to one’s sense of self. Private practice mediates between spiritual experience and prosocial behaviour. We tested the model by evaluating the responses of 1316 participants who completed the prosocial behaviour, communion, agency, private practice, and spiritual experience scale. Process macro model 4 was used to analyse the mediation. The results show that agency, communion, and private practice partially mediate between spiritual experience and prosocial behaviour. Emphasis is placed on the value of positive interaction, sense of self, and personal spiritual activities in expressing prosocial behaviour.