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Religiousness as a cultural adaptation of basic traits: a five-factor model perspective
1Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. vassilis.saroglou@uclouvain.be
Summary
Religiousness is linked to two core personality traits: Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. These traits appear to influence religious beliefs and behaviors across diverse global populations and contexts.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Cultural Adaptation
Background:
- Individual differences in religiousness are a complex phenomenon.
- Previous research suggests a link between personality traits and religiousness.
- Understanding these links can illuminate cultural adaptations and social behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between basic personality traits and religiousness.
- To determine if Agreeableness and Conscientiousness predict religiousness.
- To explore the consistency of this relationship across diverse populations and contexts.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of 71 independent samples (N = 21,715).
- Included data from 19 countries to ensure cross-cultural representation.
- Reviewed existing literature on personality and religion.
Main Results:
- Agreeableness and Conscientiousness are significant predictors of religiousness.
- This relationship is consistent across various religious dimensions, contexts (gender, age, country), and personality measures.
- Personality traits appear to influence religiousness, rather than being influenced by it.
Conclusions:
- Individual differences in religiousness can be partly explained by cultural adaptations of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness.
- The findings highlight the adaptive functions of these personality traits in relation to religiousness.
- This research provides a foundation for understanding the distinctiveness and implications of religiousness in various domains.
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