A Different Look at Behavioral Research on the Psychology of Religion

Many of the first founders and political leaders of many countries were concerned with religious issues, and some of these concerns continue in science today. The religion of religion has a long history in the psychology of many countries, but it has been tainted by neglect and false claims about the nature of research. The religion of religion supplies an opportunity for behavioral research to be extended to many areas of psychology interest. For example, the consequences of both growth during adolescence and sex differences can be clarified by discussing the function of religion in the human being. Among the specific topics explored are conversion and religious mobility, religious experiences. Representations of God include identity and mental health and coping. Just a generation ago, psychologists and scholars often seemed to conclude that the world was steadily moving beyond religions. The word "post-Christian" was widely heard in intellectual circles. This trend is also reflected in the field of psychology, due to the lack of a research field called the psychology of religion. It has not existed since the founding of psychology in the 1900s by William James et al., who devoted some of their psychological work to the analysis of religiosity (for a comprehensive account of the history of the field, see Wul , 1997). But the science of psychology of religion did not return until the 1960s. The Study of the Psychology of Religion Then and Today Although psychology was the study of human behavior and mental processes, the field seemed to study all major human behavior except what was labeled "religious." This has seemed like a really challenging problem to many scientists. Why would the academic field of psychology choose to ignore the fact that religiosity has been a part of human existence in one form or another since human beings have existed, and that throughout human history, religiosity has been a part of human existence? The most salient issues and sources of both human concern, help, and service to others, as well as human depravity, harm, and exploitation of others, are a few considerations. Psychology studies everything else there is to know about human behavior, as well as it. According to recent estimates, about 85 percent of the world's population either practices religion on a personal level or lives in a religiously sanctioned state. Much of people's lives are affected to some extent by their commitment to a religious tradition. Fortunately, there has been a surge in interest in working in this field in recent years. Examining some of the facts supporting this model, this article also draws on the literature