Abstract
Several research has shown that nonattachment, a Buddhist practice, could reduce negative emotions and improve positive emotions (Sahdra & Shaver, 2013; Sahdra, Shaver, & Brown, 2010; Wang, Wong, & Yeh, 2016; Wendling, 2012). We aimed to explore such influences in a sample of Vietnamese Buddhists (N = 472). Our methods included the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Spielberger et al., 1983), the Nonattachment Scale (NAS; Sahdra et al., 2010), and a demographic and religious questionnaire. Results showed that positive emotion scores (M = 2.89, SD = .502) of participants were significantly higher than that of their negative emotion scores (M = 2.10, SD = .587, p < .001). People with strong religious commitment such as monks, lay-people who practiced at pagoda, and lay-people who practiced with sangha had higher positive emotion scores and less negative emotion scores than those whose religious commitment were weak. Nonattachment was positively correlated with positive emotions (r = .47, p < .01) and negatively correlated with negative emotions (r = -.37, p < .01). Nonattachment could also explain 21.7% positive emotions variance (p < .001) and 12.4% negative emotions variance (p < .001). Nonattachment and religious commitment could, therefore, influence greatly positive emotions in Buddhists. This result suggested a discussion about applying nonattachment to prevent emotional problems and improve psychological well-being.
Highlights
Religion has always been an influential factor that affects how people may experience and perceive their emotions (Emmons & Paloutzian, 2003)
People with strong religious commitment such as monks, lay-people who practiced at pagoda, and lay-people who practiced with sangha had higher positive emotion scores and less negative emotion scores than those whose religious commitment were weak
People with strong religious commitment such as monks, lay-people who practiced at pagoda, and lay-people who practiced with sangha had higher positive emotion and less negative emotion scores than those whose religious commitment were weak
Summary
Religion has always been an influential factor that affects how people may experience and perceive their emotions (Emmons & Paloutzian, 2003). Many studies have found evidence supporting the link between various emotions or emotion-related variables and religiosity These variables include love, sadness, shame, hope, optimism, altruism, and gratitude (Fiori, Brown, Cortina & Antonucci, 2006; Kim-Prieto & Diener, 2009; Koenig & Larson, 2001; McCullough & Willoughby, 2009; Myers, 1992; Pargament, Magyar- Russell, & Murray-Swank, 2005; Park, 2005; Szekely, Opre, & Miu, 2015). A study by Kim-Prieto and Diener (2009) that aimed to investigate the differences and similarities in the desired emotions across religions found that the belief about the desirability of emotions by the adherents influenced their experience of emotions
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