Religious Orientation and Subjective Well-being: The Mediating Role of Meaning in Life

Abstract

The present study concerns the relationship between religious orientation, meaning in life, and subjective well-being, as well as the mediating influence of meaning in life on the relationship between religious orientation and subjective well-being. Gender differences in this relationship are also examined. The subjects of the study were 579 university students (33.5% male; Mage = 21.98, SDage = 4.33). Intrinsic religious orientation was found to be a significant predictor of subjective well-being via meaning in life in both the male and female groups. Furthermore, extrinsic religious orientation was found to be a significant predictor of subjective well-being via meaning in life in the female group only.

Individual Differences in Religious Motivation Influence How People Think

“…2005). Several studies provide support for the idea that intrinsic religious motivation relates to an enhanced sense of meaning and purpose (e.g., Dezutter, Soenens, and Hutsebaut 2006; Francis and Crea 2016; Francis, Jewell, and Robbins 2010; You and Lim 2019), and this meaning should correspond to having a more integrated, global way of thinking (e.g., Park 2013). The present study finds evidence consistent with these ideas.…”

“…The majority of evidence supporting that intrinsic religious motivation relates to higher‐level, more global cognitive representations is implicit and comes from studies on how religious orientations relate to purpose and meaning in life. Many studies have identified an association between intrinsic religious motivation and sense of purpose in life (e.g., Dezutter, Soenens, and Hutsebaut 2006; Francis and Crea 2016; Francis, Jewell, and Robbins 2010; You and Lim 2019). The association between intrinsic religious motivation and life purpose may be at least partly explained by cognitive processes.…”

“…For example, Ardelt and Koenig (2007) used semistructured qualitative interviews with a small sample of older adult hospice patients and found that those who were more extrinsically religious found less solace in their religion, whereas those who were more intrinsically religious better maintained a sense of “cosmic purpose in life” (p. 62). More recently, You and Lim (2019) identified that among Korean university students, extrinsic religious motivation related to diminished perceived meaning in life among women, though the association was not significant for men. Other studies found that extrinsic religious motivation was not associated with meaning (e.g., Francis, Jewell, and Robbins 2010), although there is some evidence that this may be because its association is indirect.…”

“…Previous studies provide evidence that intrinsic religiousness relates to enhanced meaning and purpose in life and extrinsic religiousness has little or negative relation with these (e.g., Blaźek and Besta 2012; Dezutter, Soenens, and Hutsebaut 2006; Francis and Crea 2016; Francis, Jewell, and Robbins 2010; You and Lim 2019). H1 :It is expected that people with greater intrinsic religious motivation should exhibit a more global cognitive representation tendency evident in their accessing higher‐level action identities. H2 :It is further expected that this association will be mediated by these individuals having stronger spiritual beliefs/values and more frequent religious service attendance, since religion and spirituality are central features of intrinsically religious people's lives (Allport and Ross 1967).…”

Investigating the Role of Religious Orientation in Mental Health: A Review of Educational Studies

“…People in this type of religious orientation are those in whom religiosity is the main motivation and belief in God is the basis of their actions and behavior. They worship God not only out of a desire to achieve something, but their goal is holiness and thanksgiving to God (You & Lim, 2019).…”