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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The Effect Of Fiction On Religious Studies Display Shelves In An Academic Library, Marissa Bischoff, Gerrit Van Dyk
The Effect Of Fiction On Religious Studies Display Shelves In An Academic Library, Marissa Bischoff, Gerrit Van Dyk
Faculty Publications
The religious studies librarians at Brigham Young University (BYU) began a book display research project to examine the circulation rates of religious studies titles placed on display and to specifically evaluate the impact of religious fiction on that display in an academic library. Student employees were tasked with curating the displays over several years and maintaining a spreadsheet with the titles displayed and resulting checkout rates. Religious fiction (from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint tradition) circulated over 80% the first three years, higher than the religious nonfiction on display and the same genre in the stacks. In …
Uniting And Dividing Influences Of Religion On Parent–Child Relationships In Highly Religious Families, Heather Howell Kelley, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite
Uniting And Dividing Influences Of Religion On Parent–Child Relationships In Highly Religious Families, Heather Howell Kelley, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite
Faculty Publications
Religion can have both helpful and harmful influences on relationships. The purpose of this study is to better understand how religion can have both a unifying and a dividing influence on parent–child relationships. Through the use of interviews with 198 highly religious families (N = 476 individuals), we address some of the complexity inherent in religion and examine the influence of three dimensions of religious experience (religious practices, religious beliefs, and religious community). Findings are supported with primary qualitative data. For the highly religious parents and children in this study, 8 times as many unifying accounts of religion than …
Surviving Secular Society: How Religious Families Maintain Faith Through Community And Parenting Practices, Quinn Galbraith, Christina Riley, Alexandra Carlisle, Heather Kelley
Surviving Secular Society: How Religious Families Maintain Faith Through Community And Parenting Practices, Quinn Galbraith, Christina Riley, Alexandra Carlisle, Heather Kelley
Faculty Publications
In pluralistic society, religious families may struggle with adapting to non-religious culture. This can be concerning for religious parents who attempt to raise their children to be religious in a non-religious environment. This study draws upon qualitative interviews with 130 highly religious individuals in Ireland and the UK to analyze what perceived challenges religious families experience in secular society and what coping mechanisms they employ to counteract secular influences. Researchers identified three common challenges: outside pressure to conform, media misrepresentation, and immoral messages in media. They identified three potential coping mechanisms: controlling access to media, building religious community, and teaching …
Text-Map Analysis: An Introduction To The Method And An Examination Of Relationship Self-Regulation And Religion, Joe M. Chelladurai, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
Text-Map Analysis: An Introduction To The Method And An Examination Of Relationship Self-Regulation And Religion, Joe M. Chelladurai, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
Faculty Publications
The twofold purpose of this article is to (a) introduce text-map analysis and demonstrate its utility and (b) to examine systemic processes between relationship self-regulation and religion. In the first part, we propose a novel approach to qualitative data analysis termed mapping and analysis of processes and sequences. We then present procedural steps and diagrammatic conventions to chart sequences and connections between concepts and events sing flowchart diagrams we call text-maps. In the second part, using text-map analysis with a case study, we examine relationship self-regulation and religion in a Latter-day Saint couple. We draw upon three episodes …
Religion As A Source Of Tolerance And Intolerance: Exploring The Dichotomy, Quinn Galbraith, Alexandra Carlisle, Ben White
Religion As A Source Of Tolerance And Intolerance: Exploring The Dichotomy, Quinn Galbraith, Alexandra Carlisle, Ben White
Faculty Publications
Previous research on tolerance and intolerance in religion has focused on individuals’ internal religious commitment and their relationship within religious groups. In exploring religion’s ability to generate both tolerance and intolerance, this qualitative study draws on data from interviews with 220 highly religious individuals living in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2016 in order to suggest how religious individuals see themselves interacting with tolerance and intolerance in their daily lives. Many of our subjects identified themselves as tolerant people while viewing others as intolerant of their religious beliefs. An analysis of our findings and prior research suggests that religious …
Religion And Volunteering In Marital Relationships, Young-Il Kim, Jeffrey P. Dew
Religion And Volunteering In Marital Relationships, Young-Il Kim, Jeffrey P. Dew
Faculty Publications
Married people are generally more religious and do volunteer work more frequently than unmarried people. However, little is known about which religious characteristics or domains predict volunteering behaviors among married couples. Using data from a U.S. national sample of heterosexual married couples, we examine which aspects of couples’ religiosity predicted husbands’ and wives’ reports of volunteering. Results from actor-partner interdependence models indicated that performing religious observances in the home was associated with wives’ reports of volunteering. Attending religious services regularly with one’s spouse was associated with higher levels of volunteering for both wives and husbands. Other domains of religiosity, such …
Uniting And Dividing Influences Of Religion In Marriage Among Highly Religious Couples, Heather H. Kelley, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite
Uniting And Dividing Influences Of Religion In Marriage Among Highly Religious Couples, Heather H. Kelley, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite
Faculty Publications
Previous research has suggested that religion can be both helpful and harmful. However, much oof the research on religion and families has employed relatively simple, distal measures of religion and has focused on predominantly only one side of the dualistic nature of religion. Drawing upon interviews with 198 religious couples (N = 396 individuals), the purpose of this study was to better understand how religion can have both a unifying and a dividing influence on marital relationships. Three overarching themes, accompanied by supporting primary qualitative data from participants, are presented. These themes include (a) how religious beliefs unite and …
Constructing Meaning Through Connection: Religious Perspectives On The Purpose Of Life, Quinn Galbraith, Adam Callister, Heather Kelly
Constructing Meaning Through Connection: Religious Perspectives On The Purpose Of Life, Quinn Galbraith, Adam Callister, Heather Kelly
Faculty Publications
Given prior research, which establishes a connection between religiosity and an increased sense of meaning in life, this study draws on qualitative data from interviews with 172 religious individuals living in Ireland and the United Kingdom in order to analyze what religious individuals perceive as their purpose in life. Interviews were conducted in person, recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded utilizing a team-based methodology. Researchers identified three main themes from the data related to the idea that the purpose of life is tied to relationships and connection: love and service toward others, family relationships, and connection with God. An analysis of …
The Ties That Bind: Is Faith A Global Force For Good Or Ill In The Family?, W. Bradford Wilcox, Laurie Derose, Jason S. Carroll
The Ties That Bind: Is Faith A Global Force For Good Or Ill In The Family?, W. Bradford Wilcox, Laurie Derose, Jason S. Carroll
Faculty Publications
Does religion foster solidarity—or fuel conflict and inequality? Today’s headlines suggest the answer is “yes” to both. Yes, as Emile Durkheim taught us, religion can be and is a force for solidarity, but at the same time, as Max Weber taught us, religion can be and is also a force for conflict and inequality. In The Ties that Bind, we consider a more specific question: is religion a force for good or ill in families around the globe?
Struggles Experienced By Religious Minority Families In The United States, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite, Kaity Pearl Young
Struggles Experienced By Religious Minority Families In The United States, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite, Kaity Pearl Young
Faculty Publications
More than a thousand empirical studies report positive correlations between religious involvement and various aspects oof psychological, relational, or physical health. Even so, there are also substantial costs, challenges, and negative aspects of religious involvement that warrant scholarly attention, including religion-related oppression and discrimination. The objective of this study was to provide an in-depth exploration and qualitative analysis of religion-related struggles experienced by religious minorities. A national sample of 198 diverse, religious families (N = 476 participants) were interviewed. Of the 198 families, 131 (66%) were from religious minority communities (i.e., Jewish, Muslim, or Christian minority faiths) and serve …
"The Family That Prays Together . . .": Relational Processes Associated With Regular Family Prayer, Joe M. Chelladurai, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
"The Family That Prays Together . . .": Relational Processes Associated With Regular Family Prayer, Joe M. Chelladurai, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
Faculty Publications
In the present article we explore how family prayer reportedly influenced family relationships. We conceptualized family prayer as a family ritual in religious families and used a qualitative methodology to interview a religiously, ethnically, and geographically diverse sample of 198 families (N = 476). Analysis of data revealed 7 related themes. Family prayer served important functions and influenced relationships in various ways including (a) as time of family togetherness and interaction; (b) as a space for social support; and (c) as a means for intergenerational transmission of religion. Further, family prayer (d) involved issues and concerns of individuals and …
Sanctifcation And Cheating Among Emerging Adults, Scott Braithwaite, Paige Mcallister, Elena Henderson, Meghan Maddock, Krista Dowdle, Frank D. Fincham
Sanctifcation And Cheating Among Emerging Adults, Scott Braithwaite, Paige Mcallister, Elena Henderson, Meghan Maddock, Krista Dowdle, Frank D. Fincham
Faculty Publications
Cheating—a general term for extradyadic romantic or sexual behavior that violates expectations in a committed romantic relationship—is common and leads to a number of poor outcomes. Religion has historically infuenced conceptions of romantic relationships, but societal attitudes about religion are in fux as many seek to retain spirituality even as afliations with formal religion decrease. The present study evaluated a potential predictor of cheating that is more spiritual than formally religious, the “psychospiritual” concept of relationship sanctifcation (i.e., the idea that one’s relationship itself is sacred). In a sample of college students in committed relationships (N=716), we found that higher …
Navigating The Teen Years: The Adolescent Brain And Christ’S Atonement, Mark H. Butler, Genevieve L. Smith
Navigating The Teen Years: The Adolescent Brain And Christ’S Atonement, Mark H. Butler, Genevieve L. Smith
Faculty Publications
Like other spiritually sincere youth, Caleb struggles with pornography use. At first, he was repulsed by it, but he found himself drawn back to it. The arousal was preoccupying and pleasurable. Pornography use became a habit. He still wanted to go on a mission, marry in the temple, be a worthy father. Repeatedly, he resolved to stop using pornography. He felt anger and shame every time he fell short. Caleb became discouraged and felt like he could never change. He felt that he didn’t deserve God’s or anyone else’s love and forgiveness because of all his broken promises.
Joint Religiosity And Married Couples’ Sexual Satisfaction, Jeffrey P. Dew, Jeremy E. Uecker, Brian J. Willoughby
Joint Religiosity And Married Couples’ Sexual Satisfaction, Jeffrey P. Dew, Jeremy E. Uecker, Brian J. Willoughby
Faculty Publications
Although many studies have examined the association between religion and sexuality, the majority of these studies have focused on non marital sex. Unfortunately, despite the fact that a satisfying sexual relationship plays a critical role in married couples' relationship quality and stability, the associations between religiosity and marital sexual satisfaction are not well understood. Thus, to examine the association between religiosity and couples' reports of married sexual satisfaction, the authors of this study used dyadic data from a nationally representative sample of married couples (N = 1,368) between the ages of 18 and 45. They used both joint and …
Relational Struggles And Experiential Immediacy In Religious American Families, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks, Kaity Pearl Young
Relational Struggles And Experiential Immediacy In Religious American Families, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks, Kaity Pearl Young
Faculty Publications
Qualitative family scholar Kerry Daly has called for more theory addressing understudied dimensions including religion, everyday experiences, and time. Herein we address all three of these dimensions as we empirically examine and theorize Ono relational struggles among religious families. We also explore what we term experiential immediacy–defined as the personal and temporal proximity to participant-reported lived experience. Based on qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews with 198 highly religious families (N = 476 individuals), we identified four types of relational struggles created by religious involvement: burdens, disunities, abuses, and offenses. We also offer a conceptual framework of experiential immediacy grounded …
Transcendence Matters: Do The Ways Family Members Experience God Meaningfully Relate To Family Life?, Hilary Dalton, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
Transcendence Matters: Do The Ways Family Members Experience God Meaningfully Relate To Family Life?, Hilary Dalton, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
Faculty Publications
As more Americans continue to move away from an institutional approach to religion and spirituality to a more personal approach, it is important to explore the ways that personal perspectives about God influence various aspects of life including family life. This study explored how participants viewed and experienced God as an authority figure (Directive Transcendence), as a close confidant (Intimate Transcendence), or as both (Authoritative Transcendence). In-depth interviews with 198 religious families from across America were analyzed using a team-based qualitative approach. These analyses revealed that participants experienced God as both an authority figure and as a close confidant. Both …
Religion And Esotericism Among Students: A Crosscultural Comparative Study, Franz Höllinger, Timothy B. Smith
Religion And Esotericism Among Students: A Crosscultural Comparative Study, Franz Höllinger, Timothy B. Smith
Faculty Publications
Analyzing the results of a study on religious and esoteric beliefs and practice among university students from five European and five American countries, we found that the level of religiousness of students depends very much on their cultural environment: the level of religiosity and esoteric beliefs is significantly higher among North- and South-American students than among European students. On the other hand, Asian spiritual techniques and esoteric methods of healing are practiced more frequently by students in North-Western European countries. In the second part of the paper, we examine the relationship between academic discipline and religious worldviews. According to our …
Beyond The Bucket List: Identity-Centered Religious Calling, Being, And Action Among Parents, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks, Taleah M. Kear, Brittany M. Lewis, Megan L. Stokes
Beyond The Bucket List: Identity-Centered Religious Calling, Being, And Action Among Parents, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks, Taleah M. Kear, Brittany M. Lewis, Megan L. Stokes
Faculty Publications
From a positive family psychology perspective, this study explores identity-centered religious calling, being, and action among parents of youth, that is, what religious parents believe they are called to be and to do in relation to their adolescent children. Twenty-nine Christian, Jewish, and Muslim families of youth (N = 58) were asked what they considered most important for them "to be" and "to do" as parents of faith. Qualitative analyses were conducted to determine major themes of responses. Parents indicated they believed they were called to be (A1) an example, (A2) authentic, and (A3) consistent; called to provide their …
Finding Religion: An Analysis Of Theology Libguides, Gerrit Van Dyk
Finding Religion: An Analysis Of Theology Libguides, Gerrit Van Dyk
Faculty Publications
This paper will compare various LibGuides in theology from thirty-seven different institutions. These institutions include universities granting undergraduate and graduate degrees in religion or theology as well as seminaries for professional clergy. Data on LibGuides content, such as books, ebooks, journals, databases, librarian contact information, and others, will be compared and analyzed. Resources especially tailored to religious and theological studies will also be highlighted.
Mining The Meanings And Pulling Out The Processes From Psychology Of Religion’S Correlation Mountain, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite
Mining The Meanings And Pulling Out The Processes From Psychology Of Religion’S Correlation Mountain, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite
Faculty Publications
The article illustrates how rigorous quantitative studies in three distinct and promising areas opened the door to additional related qualitative work. Using qualitative narratives from a landmark sample of 184 diverse religious families, the authors discuss and illustrate two research methods and that have been useful to them: triangulating data in the context of family, and seeking truth through progressive questioning. Next, consistent with the paper's primary purpose, the authors highlight three areas where the strong, correlation-based research foundation provided by quantitative social scientists of religion has created some prime, complementary opportunities for follow-up work by qualitative researchers. …
Religiosity In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Larry J. Nelson
Religiosity In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Larry J. Nelson
Faculty Publications
According to IEA Civic Education Study, approximately half of American adolescents participate in religious groups (Torney-Purta et al. 2001) and half of American 18–24-year-olds report religious beliefs to be important (Inglehart et al. 2004). Thus, religious experiences are an important aspect of the lives of many adolescents and emerging adults (approximately ages 18 to the mid-20s) in the USA. Specifically, adolescents are fully immersed in identity exploration and ideally resolve this search in emerging adulthood. They embark on a quest to solidify their values and beliefs about countless issues, including religiosity. This essay will review the literature on religiosity among …
Is Love A Flimsy Foundation? Soulmate Versus Institutional Models Of Marriage, W. Bradford Wilcox, Jeffrey P. Dew
Is Love A Flimsy Foundation? Soulmate Versus Institutional Models Of Marriage, W. Bradford Wilcox, Jeffrey P. Dew
Faculty Publications
Steven Nock argued that love—understood narrowly in terms of emotional and sexual intimacy—was a flimsy foundation for relationships and that the institution of marriage provided a firmer footing for stable, high-quality relationships than love alone. Relying on data from the Marriage Matters Survey of 1414 married men and women in Louisiana (1998–2004), we extended Nock’s insights to consider whether contemporary marriages organized along institutional lines enjoyed more stability, satisfaction, and less conflict than marriages organized around a soulmate model. Largely consistent with Nock’s perspective, we found that individuals who embraced norms of marital permanency and gender specialization and were embedded …
Sexual Experience And Couple Formation Attitudes Among Emerging Adults, Brian J. Willoughby, Jason S. Carroll
Sexual Experience And Couple Formation Attitudes Among Emerging Adults, Brian J. Willoughby, Jason S. Carroll
Faculty Publications
In this study, we explore the relationship between attitudes toward both marriage and cohabitation and sexual experience during emerging adulthood. Results from 990 emerging adults indicated only moderate evidence that marital attitudes are related to sexual experience but strong evidence of a relationship between attitudes toward cohabitation and sexual experience. In particular, sexually active emerging adults were more likely to have positive attitudes toward cohabitation. Furthermore, it was found that both religiosity and dating status moderate the relationship between couple formation attitudes and sexual experience. For highly religious emerging adults, sexual activity was associated with higher endorsement of cohabitation; however, …
A Narrative Account Of The Wider Impact Of The 7 July 2005 London Bomb Attacks, Shahid Bux, Sarah M. Coyne
A Narrative Account Of The Wider Impact Of The 7 July 2005 London Bomb Attacks, Shahid Bux, Sarah M. Coyne
Faculty Publications
The London bombings on 7 July 2005 highlighted the prevailing terrorist threat to the UK. The present study addressed the psychological response of community (n=294) indirectly exposed to the attacks to discern he broader impact and effects of terrorism. Qualitative content analysis was used to develop a profile of emotions and responses to the attacks. This was supplemented by the use of linguistic analysis demonstrating the enormous heterogeneity and complexity of responses to terrorism. In light of previous work on the wider impact of terrorism, the present study highlighted a relatively restrained impact of terrorism. Notwithstanding this observation, responses were …
Enhancing Cultural Competence In Financial Counseling And Planning: Understanding Why Families Make Religious Contributions, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite, Jeffrey P. Dew
Enhancing Cultural Competence In Financial Counseling And Planning: Understanding Why Families Make Religious Contributions, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite, Jeffrey P. Dew
Faculty Publications
Some highly religious individuals contribute a relatively high percent of their income (e.g., 10-15% or more) to their faith communities. This study used a racially and religiously diverse sample and employed qualitative methods to investigate why these individuals give. Five themes emerged from the grounded-theory analysis. Four themes concerned why families gave: a) out of a sense of obedience/duty, b) to express thanksgiving and feel joy, c) because they feel that it is a wise investment, and d) to promote social justice and charity. The final theme that emerged was that they give despite their financial challenges. Based on these …
Prayer And Marital Intervention: Asking For Divine Help... Or Professional Trouble?, Loren D. Marks
Prayer And Marital Intervention: Asking For Divine Help... Or Professional Trouble?, Loren D. Marks
Faculty Publications
My selected title for this response piece reflects the late David Larson's identification of religion as the university's "anti-tenure topic." Beach, Fincham, Hurt, McNair, and Stanley (hereafter, the authors) have stepped upon some dangerous soil. However, this statement is intended as a welcome, not a threat. I appreciate the authors' efforts to break new ground in an important but highly sensitive domain.
Making The Connection Between Prayer, Faith, And Forgiveness In Roman Catholic Families, Mindi Batson, Loren Marks
Making The Connection Between Prayer, Faith, And Forgiveness In Roman Catholic Families, Mindi Batson, Loren Marks
Faculty Publications
This study examines meanings and processes associated with religious practices of prayer, building faith, and forgiving through in-depth, qualitative interviews with six highly religious Roman Catholic families with children. Families were interviewed using a narrative approach that asked participants to share experiences and challenges related to faith and family life. Three primary themes in the interviews included: (a) prayer helps piece the puzzle together, (b) faith builds a foundation, and (c) forgiveness allows unity to flourish.
Turning The Hearts Of Fathers To Their Children: Why Religious Involvement Can Make A Difference, Loren Marks, David C. Dollahite
Turning The Hearts Of Fathers To Their Children: Why Religious Involvement Can Make A Difference, Loren Marks, David C. Dollahite
Faculty Publications
Charles Dickens, the English author and keen observer of human affairs, wrote of revolution-era France: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." In many ways, Dickens' dichotomy regarding "the best of times" and "the worst of times" captures the state of contemporary American fatherhood. Many fathers are more highly involved with their children than the fathers of past generations. Conversely, many other fathers are disconnected from or uninvolved with their children. For many of the fathers who are highly involved in their children's lives, their religious faith is a motivational influence.
Religion And Family Relational Health: An Overview And Conceptual Model, Loren Marks
Religion And Family Relational Health: An Overview And Conceptual Model, Loren Marks
Faculty Publications
This paper presents a review of research addressing religion and family relational health. Strengths of the extant data include the correlation of three dimensions of religious experience (religious practices, religious beliefs, and religious community) with certain aspects of mother–child, father–child, and marital relationships and specific connections between the three dimensions of religious experience and family relationships are identified. Key weaknesses in the research at present include a paucity of research examining the hows, whys, and processes involved behind identified religion–family correlations and a lack of data on non-nuclear families, families of color, interfaith families, and non-Christian religions including Judaism and …
The Family As A Context For Religious And Spiritual Development In Children And Youth, Chris J. Boyatzis, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
The Family As A Context For Religious And Spiritual Development In Children And Youth, Chris J. Boyatzis, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks
Faculty Publications
Our chapter addresses how the family promotes or hinders transcendence of the self in children, that is, how the family is a context in which spiritual development occurs. Due to space limitations, our emphasis is on socialization and interaction processes within the family and not on other issues such as psychodynamic processes (e.g., Rizzuto, 1979) or faith development (e.g., Fowler, 1981). There are many motivations to explore family socialization of religious and spiritual development. One, family spirituality and religiosity are linked with many desirable outcomes and inversely with negative outcomes in children and youth. (Other chapters in this volume examine …