Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Personal Choice and Fate Attributions01:19

Personal Choice and Fate Attributions

Some individuals interpret life events as a consequence of their personal choices and actions, while others believe that outcomes are dictated by fate or destiny. This divergence in perspective has been examined in psychological and cross-cultural studies, particularly in relation to religious faith and cultural beliefs about causality.Fate and Personal ResponsibilityPeople who emphasize personal responsibility view events as direct consequences of their decisions. For instance, breaking a leg...
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
Importance of Need for Affiliation01:25

Importance of Need for Affiliation

The need for affiliation is a fundamental human motive that drives individuals to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. This universal drive varies in intensity among individuals due to genetic predispositions and life experiences, shaping it into a relatively stable personality trait. Social inclusion enhances emotional well-being by fulfilling the need for affiliation, whereas social exclusion leads to distress, negative emotions, and cognitive impairments.Psychological and Emotional...
The Role of Culture01:23

The Role of Culture

Culture plays a crucial role in shaping self-identity and influencing thought and behavior, a foundational interest within social psychology. The multicultural perspective recognizes that individuals do not exist in a vacuum; instead, their experiences, perceptions, and actions are deeply influenced by the intersecting dimensions of their cultural, ethnic, and social group affiliations.Cultural Influence on Self-Identity and Social PerceptionCultural frameworks inform how individuals define...
Attachment Styles01:24

Attachment Styles

Jeffrey Simpson's attachment theory suggests that early caregiver relationships shape lasting patterns of behavior and emotional regulation, known as attachment styles. These patterns are organized along two key dimensions: self-esteem and interpersonal trust. The intersection of these dimensions produces four primary attachment styles that typically persist throughout life and significantly influence how individuals form and maintain relationships.Secure Attachment StyleIndividuals with a...
Self Within Cultural Contexts01:30

Self Within Cultural Contexts

Cultural frameworks for understanding the self are often categorized into two broad orientations: individualism and collectivism. These paradigms influence how people define themselves, relate to others, and interpret their social worlds. Each orientation offers distinct perspectives on autonomy, responsibility, and the role of the individual within a community.Individualistic CulturesIn individualistic cultures like North America and Western Europe, identity is understood as autonomous and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The effect of collective trauma on craving for cannabis and tobacco.

Journal of health psychology·2026
Same author

Prevalence of addictive use of cosmetic procedures and risk factors among Israeli women.

Journal of health psychology·2026
Same author

Anxiety-buffer disruption in combat soldiers: the contributions of exposure to combat-related threats, attachment anxiety, and ideological threat to mental health and addiction.

Anxiety, stress, and coping·2026
Same author

Meaning in life and the mental health - addiction spiral: testing a unifying model.

Frontiers in psychiatry·2026
Same author

The role of geographical proximity to the October 7th, 2023, attack on Israel: Mental health disorders and related risk factors.

Journal of traumatic stress·2026
Same author

Therapeutic-Like Context and Relational Support During Psychedelic Use Moderate Links Among Stress, Challenging Experiences, and Psychological Outcomes.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
Same journal

The Cultural Diversity Climate "Big Five" in Schools: Dimensions, Facets, and a Future Research Agenda.

Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·2026
Same journal

Speaking the Public's Love Language: How Engaging with Lay Theories Can Build a Rigorous and Resonant Science of Relationships.

Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·2026
Same journal

Masculinity Threat in Heterosexual Men: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of Experimental Research with Recommendations for Future Theory Building and Research Practice.

Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·2026
Same journal

Socially Minded Intelligence: How Individuals, Groups, and Artificial Intelligence Can Make Each Other Smarter (or Not).

Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·2026
Same journal

Intelligent Systems, Vulnerable Minds: A Framework for Radicalization to Violence in the Age of AI.

Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·2026
Same journal

Valence Asymmetry in Cognition-A Formal Account.

Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
06:42

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

Religion as attachment: normative processes and individual differences.

Pehr Granqvist1, Mario Mikulincer, Phillip R Shaver

  • 1Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. pehr.granqvist@psychology.su.se

Personality and Social Psychology Review : an Official Journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc
|December 22, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Believers

More Related Videos

Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting
11:12

Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting

Published on: November 4, 2021

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
06:04

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Published on: January 17, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
06:42

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting
11:12

Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting

Published on: November 4, 2021

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
06:04

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Published on: January 17, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Psychology of Religion
  • Attachment Theory
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • The psychology of religion increasingly examines the nature of believers' perceived relationships with God.
  • Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding interpersonal security and insecurity.
  • Existing research suggests links between religious beliefs and individual differences in attachment styles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review findings on the attachment-like qualities of believers' relationships with God.
  • To explore developmental pathways linking attachment experiences to religious beliefs and practices.
  • To discuss the limitations of a strict religion-as-attachment model and propose a broader framework.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of existing research in the psychology of religion and attachment theory.
  • Analysis of studies examining the association between interpersonal attachment security/insecurity and religious aspects.
  • Conceptual analysis of developmental pathways and theoretical models of religion and attachment.

Main Results:

  • Believers' perceived relationships with God align with the definitional criteria for attachment relationships.
  • Two developmental pathways to religion are identified: a 'compensation' pathway (insecure attachment, distress regulation) and a 'correspondence' pathway (secure attachment, sensitive caregiving).
  • The 'compensation' pathway may facilitate an 'earned security' process for insecurely attached individuals.

Conclusions:

  • The perceived relationship with God functions as an attachment relationship for believers.
  • Religion can serve as a compensatory mechanism for insecure attachment, potentially fostering earned security.
  • A more inclusive model is needed, incorporating concepts like mindfulness and nonattachment from diverse spiritual traditions.