Quest Religiosity Research Articles

Existential Authenticity, Religiosity, and Mental Health: Age Differences in an Increasingly Secular Society

With the increasing secularization of society, uncertainty exists regarding how this age-related trend may be associated with mental health. Using online surveys, this study examined potential relationships among religiosity (i.e., intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest orientations), existential authenticity (i.e., behaving in ways that align with one’s true self), and mental health (i.e., anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction) among university student (n = 659) and older adult (n = 261) samples. Analyses revealed that among younger adults, intrinsic religiosity was associated with higher authenticity and greater life satisfaction, and authenticity also indirectly linked intrinsic religiosity to each mental health index. However, among older adults, only quest religious orientation was associated with greater authenticity, while authenticity also indirectly linked quest religiosity to each index of mental health. Taken together, these results suggest that religiosity may be differentially associated with mental health as a function of age, in part through uniquely linking to conceptualizations of one’s authentic self.

Predicting Religious Undergraduates’ Career Development: The Salient Roles of Religious Calling, Life Satisfaction, and Quest Religiosity

Americans, over several decades, have consistently identified themselves as being religious and/or spiritual. Even though religious devotion has been recognized as a relevant diversity facet, therapeutic applications have been problematic. In the career development literature, numerous studies examined the influence of religion/spirituality (R/S) and generally categorized them in three ways. These include R/S as religious calling, as an integral feature of career interests and values, and as a supportive role. Yet, notable gaps exist among the articles. Researchers tended to operationalize R/S in a unidimensional manner, as a stand-alone construct instead of comprising multiple features. Investigations of religious calling in vocational matters were not recent. Further, few authors considered the influence of quest religious orientation on career development. In the present study, the relationships between seven career development and thirteen R/S variables using a sample of religious undergraduates (n = 290) enrolled in a career exploration course at a Christian university in the Midwest region of the United States were investigated. Findings from hierarchical regression analyses of vocational identity, career commitment, and career indecision checking for gender effects revealed three consistent salient predictors – religious calling, life-satisfaction, and quest religiosity. Implications of the results and possible therapeutic applications for career counselors are proposed.

Exploring associations between existential isolation, quest religiosity, and well-being

ABSTRACT The current work examined the association between existential isolation and religious quest orientation (i.e., spiritual belief uncertainty). First, Study 1 measured existential isolation and quest religiosity along with several measures of social isolation. Replicating past research, existential isolation was positively related to alienation and loneliness but negatively associated with belonging needs and social desirability. More importantly, however, quest religiosity was associated with reduced existential isolation. Building on these results, Study 2 sought to understand how existential isolation and quest religiosity related to well-being by using path modeling. We found that greater quest religiosity was related to lower existential isolation, which in turn, predicted increased psychological and spiritual well-being. These results suggest a complex relationship between existential isolation among the religiously skeptical, and that their openness and acceptance may help them cope with isolation and enjoy psychological benefits.

Taking the Divinity from the Divine: The Interaction Between Death Concerns and Religiosity on the Evaluation of a Human Jesus.

Quest religiosity is characterized by an openness toward religious doubt and uncertainty as a way to grow existentially. The current paper examines how death awareness contributes to quest (vs low quest) Christians' reactions toward a Jesus depicted as doing biologically human actions (e.g., vomiting, bleeding). Study 1 evaluated quest persons' reactions to either a humanistic Christ or a neutral Jesus passage. Essay evaluations were examined in Study 2 as a function of quest and mortality salience. Study 3 measured death-thought accessibility following a creaturely Jesus prime for quest individuals. Participants who scored low on quest were more negative toward a creaturely, rather than neutral, Jesus. These effects were exaggerated following thoughts of death. Finally, low quest persons reported heightened death thoughts due to incarnational ambivalence. Theimplications are discussed.

The Role of Religiosity in Depression and Anxiety among Muslim Students in the UK: A Whole-Person Approach to Teaching and Learning

Limited research has looked at how religiosity may be correlated with mental health, particularly among Muslim students in the UK. In this study, levels of religiosity were measured as a potential protective factor for well-being. Through an internet survey, 131 London-based participants completed an adapted version of the Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Quest (IEQ) Religiosity questionnaire, the PHQ-9 Depression questionnaire, and the GAD-7 Anxiety questionnaire. Participants were divided into one of four groups based on their faith, gender, and student status. Higher levels of religiosity were correlated with lower levels of depression (r=−.394) and anxiety (r=−.461). Furthermore, female students experienced higher levels of depression and anxiety than male students. Muslim students who had recently moved to the UK had lower levels of depression and anxiety compared to British non-Muslims and British-born Muslims with lower religiosity. British-born Muslims reported lower levels of depression than British born non-Muslims, but comparable levels of anxiety. The results of this study suggest that religiosity may act as a coping strategy for disorders such as depression and anxiety among Muslim students. This study further explores how components of Islam may be integrated into culturally informed well-being intervention strategies and curriculum design so that a “whole-person approach” to learning and teaching can support a positive student experience.

Religious Orientations and Consumer Ethics

This study examines the roles of intrinsic religiosity, quest religiosity and personal moral philosophies (idealism and relativism) as predictors of consumers’ ethical beliefs. An online survey was conducted with 500 US consumers to identify these relationships. The results indicate that intrinsic religiosity and quest religiosity lead to negative beliefs regarding unethical consumer actions (actively benefiting from illegal actions, passively benefiting from the mistakes of the seller and actively benefiting from legal but questionable actions) and positive beliefs regarding pro-social actions mediated through idealism. Quest religiosity also leads to positive beliefs regarding unethical consumer actions (passively benefiting from the mistakes of the seller) mediated through relativism. Supplementing these indirect effects, intrinsic religiosity and quest religiosity have direct influences on some, but not all, dimensions of consumer ethics. Considering the mediating roles of idealism and relativism in relation to the effects of religiosity on consumer ethics, policies and practices that enhance idealism and reduce relativism should be supported to encourage ethical consumption.

The relation between different types of religiosity and analytic cognitive style

Analytic cognitive style (ACS) has usually been found to be negatively correlated with religiosity. Several recent studies, however, challenged this finding claiming, for example, that the presumed association is an artifact of the order of presentation of the ACS and religiosity measures or that ACS might be differently related to different types of religiosity. Furthermore, almost all data in this field of research come from Western Christian samples. We, therefore, investigated whether ACS is related to four types of religiosity (intrinsic, extrinsic, quest, and general religious belief) and whether this relation stems from an order effect in three different studies with four different non-western samples (total n=1329). The results reveal that there is no order effect and that ACS is negatively correlated to intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and general religious belief, corroborating initial findings. Additionally, we found a positive correlation between ACS and quest religiosity. The results point to the importance of distinguishing different types of religiosity in religiosity-cognitive style studies.

Death, quest, and self-esteem: re-examining the role of self-esteem and religion following mortality salience

ABSTRACTTerror management theory suggests that when mortality concerns are salient, religion can serve as a defence in order to boost self-esteem and shield against the potential for anxiety. The current study examined whether individual differences in religious orientation (i.e., quest) interacted with reminders of death to influence well-being. To the extent that religiosity buffers against mortality awareness on defensiveness, the present results demonstrated that individuals high in quest orientation, in comparison to low-quest-orientated individuals, reported lower well-being (i.e., self-esteem) following reminders of death. These results add to the existing body of literature suggesting that thoughts of death can serve to decrease well-being, but that this effect is influenced by individual differences, namely trait quest religiosity.

THE PREDICTIVE POWER OF RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION TYPES ON AMBIVALENT SEXISM

The purpose of the present study was to predict ambivalent sexism (including hostile sexism and benevolent sexism) with religious orientation types as intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity and quest religiosity. In addition, the effect of demographic variables (including sex, age and education level) on sexist attitudes was tested. 583 (Nfemale= 318; Nmale= 265) university students who study in different universities of Ankara/Turkey (Mage= 22.10; SD = 2.33) completed Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, and Religious Orientation Scale. Findings indicated significant gender differences on study variables and significant associations between religious orientation types and ambivalent sexism within university students sample in Turkey.

Making religiosity person-centered: A latent profile analysis of religiosity and psychological health outcomes

Although variable-centered analyses predominate the religiosity-health literature, they are limited in that they tend to focus on the (unique) associations between a single facet of religiosity and outcomes. Person-centered analyses allow the identification of distinct subpopulations defined by individuals' full response profiles on facets of religiosity. The present study used latent profile analysis to identify distinct subgroups defined by their scores on the Religious Life Inventory-Revised. Using the Lo–Mendell–Rubin Likelihood Ratio Test, we found that a four-class solution fits optimally in two samples of Christian college students, including questioning (high quest, low intrinsic/extrinsic), intrinsically motivated (high intrinsic), high religiosity (high on all religious orientations), and low religiosity (low on all religious orientations) groups. Across both studies, we found, that the high religiosity, low religiosity and questioning groups reported significantly lower levels of psychological well-being compared to the “Intrinsically Motivated” group. These results corroborate studies suggesting that intrinsic religiosity is a protective factor associated with good psychological well-being among religious students and that personal religious struggles (i.e., quest religiosity) are associated with poorer psychological well-being. Our results point to the utility of person-centered analyses to examine religiosity in unique ways.

Unsettling the guardian: quest religiosity and psychological type among Anglican churchgoers

Both psychological type and religious orientation have provided tools for understanding the make-up of church congregations and for examining the extent to which different styles of church services may appeal to distinct congregational profiles; however the relationship between the two instruments is relatively little studied to date. Some 390 individuals who attended a Christmas carol service in a Church of England cathedral completed both the Francis Psychological Type Scales and the New Indices of Religious Orientation. Higher Quest scores were found among Intuitive types than Sensing types, replicating an earlier finding by Ross and Francis. Unlike the earlier study, the present survey also identified significantly higher Quest scores for perceiving rather than judging types. A further comparison of the combined SJ type with the remainder of the sample showed the former to have lower Quest scores. The findings are discussed and suggestions made for further research.

Relational spirituality, differentiation of self, and virtue as predictors of intercultural development

The present study tested the relationships between spirituality, differentiation of self (DoS), virtue (gratitude and forgiveness), and intercultural development among graduate trainees in the helping professions. A relational model of spiritual dwelling and seeking and the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity were used to conceptualise the study. Data were collected in a sample (N = 174) of graduate students in counselling psychology, marriage and family therapy, ministry professions, and theology at a Protestant-affiliated university. Results supported the hypotheses that quest religiosity, DoS, and gratitude would be positively associated with intercultural development and spiritual grandiosity would be negatively associated with intercultural development. Intrinsic religiosity was not related to intercultural development. DoS mediated the relationship between gratitude and intercultural development. Contrary to hypotheses, forgiveness was largely uncorrelated with intercultural development. Implications are considered for training in intercultural competence, particularly with highly religious trainees.

Religiosity, Intolerant Attitudes, and Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance

The latent construct of religiosity comprised measures of external, internal, and quest religiosity and was examined in relation to the latent construct of intolerant attitudes in a sample of undergraduate and graduate students at a Christian-affiliated university. The latent construct of intolerance included the indicators of rape and domestic violence myth acceptance, social dominance, dogmatism, and negative attitudes toward women. Multivariate results revealed significant negative correlations between internal and quest religiosity and indicators of intolerant attitudes, including the interpersonal violence myth acceptance scales. Quest religiosity also demonstrated unique univariate quadratic effects with both rape myth acceptance and domestic violence myth acceptance. Moderate levels of questing were associated with highest levels of interpersonal violence myth acceptance. Implications for the existing literature are discussed within the framework of a relational conceptualization of religiosity.

Relational Spirituality and Dispositional Forgiveness: A Structural Equations Model

The present study tested the associations between relational spirituality and dispositional forgiveness in an adult sample of Christian graduate students (N = 203). A relational model of spiritual dwelling and seeking (Wuthnow, 1998; Shults & Sandage, 2006) drawing on theology and social science was used to conceptualize this study of spiritual factors hypothesized to be positively and negatively associated with dispositional forgiveness. Results using structural equations modeling supported the hypothesized model with (a) gratitude mediating the positive association between securely attached forms of prayer and dispositional forgiveness and (b) spiritual disappointment mediating the negative association between quest religiosity and dispositional forgiveness. Two alternative models were unsatisfactory, however the reverse model also fit the data. Integrative implications are considered for future research and practice in the areas of relational spirituality and forgiveness.

The relationship between religious orientation, personality, and purpose in life among an older Methodist sample

The construct of purpose in life is a key notion discussed both by psychologists and by theologians. There are good theoretical reasons for linking the two constructs and arguing that religiosity could enhance the sense of purpose in life. The empirical evidence for the relationship is, however, not unambiguous. A major difficulty with earlier research concerns the problematic nature of defining both purpose in life and religiosity. The present study attempts to clarify the problem by employing new recently developed measures of both constructs. The Purpose in Life Scale provides a clear and unambiguous measure. The New Indices of Religious Orientation re-operationalize the three constructs of intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest religiosity as three different ways of being religious. Both instruments were completed together with the Short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised by 407 older Methodists in England. The data demonstrate that, after controlling for individual differences in personality, intrinsic religiosity is associated with a better sense of purpose in life, and both quest religiosity and extrinsic religiosity are unrelated to a sense of purpose in life.

Internal reliability and temporal stability of the New Indices of Religious Orientation among Indian undergraduates: test–retest data over 15 days

The present study examined the internal reliability and temporal stability of both the long and short forms of the New Indices of Religious Orientation, containing measures of Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Quest religiosity, over a 15-day period among a sample of 100 Indian university students. Internal reliabilities for the long form of the measure at times 1 and 2 were acceptable for all subscales with the exception of the intrinsic subscale at time 2. Reliability estimates for the extrinsic and intrinsic subscales of the short form of the measure at both time 1 and time 2 were also less than satisfactory, though the alpha coefficients for the quest subscale were satisfactory. Data demonstrated that stability across the two administrations for both long- and short-form versions of the three dimensions of religious orientation were moderately high to high (ranging from r = 0.63 to r = 0.76). Moreover, intra-class correlation coefficients were similar to those derived from the Pearson's correlation coefficients, thus confirming that there were no systematic errors between the time 1 and time 2 datasets. However, there were significant differences in mean scores between time 1 and time 2 for both long- and short-form versions of the intrinsic and quest religious orientation subscales.

Internet Pornography use in the Context of External and Internal Religiosity

Past studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between religiosity and such problem behaviors as crime, delinquency, alcoholism, and substance use. Religiosity may be a protective factor against problem behaviors. Recently, a new problematic behavior has emerged, Internet pornography. Popular Christian literature has suggested that Internet pornography use is common among Christians. However, there have been few research studies examining this issue in Christian populations. This study examined the extent of Internet pornography use among 751 males and females who were attending a conservative Christian university, perceived consequences and benefits of viewing, and the relationship between internal, external and quest religiosity and Internet pornography use. Findings suggest that the majority of males had some involvement in Internet pornography, but regular viewing was significantly lower than has been found in the general population. Internal and external religiosity showed only a weak, though statistically significant, inverse relationship with regular Internet pornography use.

Islamic Personal Religion and Moral Reasoning in Social Justice and Equality: The Evidence From Indonesian College Students

Researchers have long been concerned with the relationship between religion and social justice and equality. Hoping to understand this association at the individual level, researchers have taken on the psychological models of personal religion and Kohlberg's moral reasoning. This article extends this line of inquiry to Islam, using Muslim college and graduate students in Indonesia. Specifically, it explores the extent to which religious orientations and Islamic doctrinal orthodoxy relate to Kohlbergian principled reasoning in justice and equality. In view of the results, the Muslim respondents are skewed toward the nonprincipled mode of Kohlbergian moral reasoning. In addition, those with greater intrinsic religiosity are likely to respond in an increasingly principled manner to moral dilemmas, whereas personal extrinsic religiosity tends to increase conventional practice of moral reasoning. Quest religiosity and doctrinal orthodoxy have little to do with Kohlbergian principled reasoning. The implications of these findings are discussed by giving attention to the accent of personal mediation, Islam as a belief system, and congregational worship to principled reasoning in social justice.

Die Veränderung der Religiosität durch die Krisensituation „Schlaganfall”

Durch Krisensituationen wird die Beziehung zwischen Person und Umwelt nachhaltig gestört und muss reorganisiert werden. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht, wie sich die Krisensituation auf die Religiosität auswirkt, also auf das Passungsgefüge zwischen Mensch und Gott. Untersucht wurden in einer Längsschnitterhebung 30 Schlaganfallpatienten. Die Befragung erfolgte über Fragebögen zur intrinsischen, extrinsischen und Questreligiosität. Signifikante Unterschiede konnten für die Messzeitpunkte vor und nach dem Schlaganfall festgestellt werden. So weisen intrinsische und extrinsische Religiosität vor dem Schlaganfall eine signifikant höhere Ausprägung auf als die Akutphase. Anders die Questreligiosität. Diese ist in der Akutphase und auch 3 Monate später noch signifikant höher als vor dem Schlaganfall. Damit konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass die Religiosität durch die Krisensituation Schlaganfall desorganisiert und langsam wieder reorganisiert wird.

Mysticism and Self-Determination in Iran: Multidimensional Complexity of Relationships with Basic Need Satisfaction and Mindfulness

In this study, the self-reported mystical experience of Muslims was correlated with constructs relevant to positive psychology. Iranian university students responded to the Extrovertive, Introvertive, and Religious Interpretation factors of the Mysticism Scale; to the Basic Need Satisfaction and Mindfulness measures associated with Self-Determination Theory; and to instruments recording Attributional Complexity, Obsessiveness, and Quest religiosity. Religious Interpretation and Extrovertive factors correlated positively whereas the Introvertive factor correlated negatively with the Self-Determination and adaptive functioning that are emphases of positive psychology. Research that analyzes mystical experience within the context of positive psychology may, therefore, be useful in clarifying the psychology of religious experience across traditions.