Abstract
Currently, not much has been written about the empirical psychological well-being of the atheist community in Puerto Rico and Latin America. The objective of the present study is to analyze if there are statistically significant differences in the levels of life satisfaction and psychological flourishing between believers in God and self-identified atheists. For this purpose, a sample of 821 participants (415 believers and 406 atheists) ranging from the ages of 19 to 85 years was selected. The results show that there is a slight average difference regarding life satisfaction and psychological flourishing between these groups; however, the difference is not substantial enough to ensure that believers in God or atheists have a better quality of life. Both believers and atheists exhibit high levels of life satisfaction and psychological flourishing. This study provides empirical evidence to demystify certain traditional assumptions about the supremacy of religious beliefs over secular convictions or vice versa. We hope that these findings create social awareness and could be used as a basis for future research concerning the population of non-believers.
Highlights
Existe poca literatura en Puerto Rico y América La na que trate empíricamente asuntos relacionados al bienestar psicológico de la comunidad ateísta
The results show that there is a slight average difference regarding life sa sfac on and psychological flourishing between these groups; the difference is not substan al enough to ensure that believers in God or atheists have a be er quality of life
This study provides empirical evidence to demys fy certain tradi onal assump ons about the supremacy of religious beliefs over secular convic ons or vice versa
Summary
Existe poca literatura en Puerto Rico y América La na que trate empíricamente asuntos relacionados al bienestar psicológico de la comunidad ateísta. Even though Leondari and Gialamas (2009) indicate that religious beliefs and a ending church could be associated to life sa sfac on, they found that a belief in God is not related to any psychological well-being measure used in this study Within this context, in-depth, serious academic research should be conducted to determine how atheists describe their well-being and life sa sfac on compared to the level of well-being of believers. The authors found that in prominently secular countries, atheists usually report strong levels of subjec ve well-being and life sa sfac on, whereas in countries that are dominantly theists or Chris ans, believers usually a ain slightly higher scores than those of atheists in life sa sfac on and well-being measures This outcome is not surprising given that, in strongly religious cultures, theist faith could lead to discrimina on, hos lity, intolerance, and violence towards atheists (Silberman, 2005), resul ng in a disrup on in the development of a good quality of life. Research Jus fica on and Purpose of the Study Historically, Chris anity has exercised a influence on Puerto
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