Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Akhlāq scale: Development and estimation of psychometric properties.
Akhlāq is one of the vital parts of Islamic teachings, which includes guidelines and moral teachings that direct the moral behavior of Muslims toward Allah, oneself, and others. However, this vital part has received the least attention in measurement. Therefore, the present study aims to develop and validate the Akhlāq scale to measure Akhlāq among Muslim adults. The scale development process included an extensive review of Islamic literature, that is, The Quran and Hadiths, for the identification of dimensions, item generation, and establishing psychometric properties of newly constructed scale through exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, and validity analysis. After exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were completed, the final scale retained four dimensions of Akhlāq: Akhlāq toward Allah, Akhlāq toward oneself, Akhlāq toward others—caring, and Akhlāq toward others—interactions. The psychometric properties of the Akhlāq scale were effectively established, demonstrating that the new measure is a valid and reliable indicator of Akhlāq for Muslim adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Looks like it is not causal: Effects of activation of religiosity and spirituality on the contaminated mindware.
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of activating religiosity and spirituality on beliefs that comprise contaminated mindware (i.e., paranormal, pseudoscience, and conspiracy beliefs). In order to test this assumption, we conducted three experimental studies (combined sample N = 499) in which religiosity and spirituality were activated (by answering three kinds of questions). Dependent variables were measured by short scales of paranormal, pseudoscientific, and conspiracy beliefs. Obtained results show that activating religiosity and spirituality does not contribute to an increase in beliefs that comprise contaminated mindware. Additional Bayesian analyses show that our data provide at least moderate evidence for the null hypotheses to be true. In the light of conducted experiments, the positive relationship between spirituality, religiosity, and contaminated mindware observed in previous works seems to not have a causal nature. Instead, it may result from indirect factors such as cognitive abilities, cognitive styles, or worldviews. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
The language of religious and secular practices: A mixed method analysis.
This study analyzes the written journal entries (N = 709) collected from a larger experiment in which participants were in either a centering prayer condition (in which they engaged in a mindfulness-like prayer practice), a centering practice condition (a secularized version of the centering prayer practice), or a passive control condition (no intervention) during a 28-day practice period to enhance well-being/flourishing. In Study 1, we use Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count to explore the linguistic qualities of the journal entries. In Study 2, we use a qualitative content analysis approach on the written entries. Convergence between Study 1 and Study 2 are explored. Linguistic analyses did not find any relationship between any of the conditions and flourishing or well-being. The analyses indicated that religious language was more likely to occur in the centering prayer condition, and that the control group wrote more words and used more past-focused and visual language. Content analyses revealed that centering prayer was more likely to be associated with mentions of a stance toward or connection with God. Overall, results indicate that the religious framing of the practice of the centering prayer is associated with the use of more religious language, especially language indicative of a stance toward God characterized by praise of God and sense of God’s presence, according to qualitative and quantitative analyses of journal entries. These results reflect that the goal of the centering prayer exercise to develop a relationship with God is reflected in daily diaries. However, this increased use of religious language is not associated with increased language indicating flourishing or well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Is belief priming associated with prosocial intentions? Experimental evidence from Turkey.
In light of prior research emphasizing the complexity of the link between religiosity and prosocial tendencies, it has remained unknown which specific aspects of faith might motivate individuals to increase concerns about the welfare of others. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence of various dimensions of faith (positive, neutral, and negative) on prosocial intentions, considering preexisting levels of religiosity. Initially, participants (N = 217) were asked to provide demographic information and indicate their levels of religiosity through an online data collection platform. Subsequently, participants were randomly assigned to experimental groups in which involving made-up passages describing research findings that emphasized positive (N = 77), negative (N = 78), or neutral (N = 62) outcomes of faith. Finally, participants responded to four scenarios assessing their prosocial intentions. The findings showed that highlighting positive outcomes of faith increases prosocial intentions, particularly among individuals with higher levels of preexisting religiosity. However, neutral or negative aspects of faith showed no significant impact on prosocial intentions, regardless of religiosity levels. These findings contribute to ongoing debates by showing the significance of accounting for individual and contextual variances in religious prosociality and expand previous research by providing evidence from a non-Western cultural context, Turkey, with a predominantly Muslim population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
A relational model of state of forgiveness and spirituality and their influence on well-being: A two-wave longitudinal study of women with a sexual assault history.
Research suggests that forming a fresh framework of significance and reconstructing the spiritual underpinnings of one’s existence may empower a victim of sexual abuse to move beyond the grasp of the distressing incident. This longitudinal study investigates the interplay between forgiveness, spirituality that provides transcendent meaning-making, and mental well-being. The two-wave study involved 246 Polish women aged 18–45 who have experienced sexual assault. The procedure for both waves involved completing questionnaires assessing decisional and emotional forgiveness, spirituality, and well-being. Structural equation modeling shows the mediating effect of spirituality on the positive association between the state of forgiveness (as a latent variable including emotional and decisional dimensions) and mental well-being. The outcomes contribute to a deeper comprehension of the complex psychological processes triggered by sexual assault and extend the implications for tailored therapeutic interventions and support mechanisms for survivors. By highlighting the potential of spirituality as a conduit for enhancing mental well-being through forgiveness, this research offers valuable insights for developing comprehensive and effective healing strategies for individuals who have endured sexual assault. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
The temporal relationship between religious motivations and purpose: A cross-lagged panel model approach.
Adolescents experience myriad benefits to their well-being from religiously engaging. In particular, religious engagement has been linked with a greater sense of purpose. However, adolescents’ motivations for religiously engaging likely impact the degree to which they feel a sense of purpose over time. As such, the present study examines the temporal relationship between religious motivations and a sense of purpose for religious adolescents. Using data from a 4-year longitudinal sample of 1,357 adolescents, we assessed the temporal relationship between a sense of purpose and three religious motivations (identified, introjected, and externalized). We analyzed our data using three cross-lagged panel models, with one of the three religious motivations in each model alongside a sense of purpose and demographic information. We found a bidirectional relationship between purpose and identified motivations, with each predicting the other over time. We found a unidirectional relationship from externalized motivations to purpose with greater externalized motivations predicting less purpose over time. Finally, we observed no relationship between introjected motivations and purpose. We further found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other nonheterosexual and/or cisgender identities individuals, men, and religiously unaffiliated adolescents were more likely to engage in religion due to externalized motivations than identified or introjected motivations. The present study provides foundational evidence for the temporal and interconnected relationship between various forms of religious motivation and a sense of purpose. Our findings add nuance to existing literature regarding the link between purpose and religiousness, as well as provide mental health practitioners with specific methods for helping their religious clients benefit from their religious engagement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Lay theories of mating interest and mate retention strategies for atheists and theists in the Southern United States.
Atheists are frequently stereotyped as untrustworthy, a designation implicating them as suboptimal mates in long-term relationships. Concomitant perceptions could be apparent of a general unwillingness to maintain a current relationship while being prone to foster conflict. This research sought to determine how these stereotypes inform downstream evaluations of atheists in performing costly mate retention behaviors. Across three studies, participants evaluated the mate retention strategies of atheist and theist social targets in addition to perceptions of their preferred mating strategies. Representations of atheists varied by descriptions (Study 1), physical attractiveness (Study 2), and mental representations (Study 3). Participants consistently expected atheists to be more prone to infidelity and cost-inducing strategies, whereas theists were expected to be more prone to most benefit-provisioning strategies. These stereotypes were consistent across attractive and unattractive targets in addition to images serving as mental representations of atheists and theists. Results provide further evidence for a functional stereotyping based on religiosity by demonstrating how atheists appear prone to conflict in relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Psychological perspectives on divine forgiveness: 2. Does viewing God as intervening account for the association between God image and divine forgiveness?
Divine forgiveness (forgiveness by a Supreme Being or Higher Power) is central to several religions and likely a motivating force for many believers. The present research investigates antecedents and correlates of the perception of divine forgiveness. An initial cross-sectional study (N = 255) examined whether God image was related to reports of divine forgiveness. Study 2 (N = 204) went on to examine a potential mechanism that might account for any association between God image and divine forgiveness. Both studies used religiosity as a control variable. Study 1 showed that having a benevolent view of God was positively related to divine forgiveness, whereas an authoritarian, punishing view of God was not. Study 2 found that believing God intervenes in human affairs mediates the association found in Study 1 using a three-wave longitudinal design that controlled for initial levels of divine forgiveness. Together, both studies document the importance of viewing God as benevolent for human reports of divine forgiveness and identify a mechanism that accounts for the association, namely God’s intervention. Limitations of the research are outlined, and several paths for additional studies are highlighted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality - Vol 17, Iss 1