Religion and Spirituality Across Cultures

Religion and Spirituality Across Cultures

Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology MARTIN E.P. SELIGMAN Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, USA MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University, USA BARBARA L. FREDRICKSON University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA Volume 9 Series Editor: ANTONELLA DELLE FAVE Università degli studi di Milano, Italy Editorial Board: ALAN WATERMAN The College of New Jersey, USA ROBERT A. EMMONS University of California, Davis, USA The aim of the Cross Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology book series is to spread a universal and culture-fair perspective on good life promotion. The series will advance a deeper understanding of the cross-cultural differences in well-being conceptualization. A deeper understanding can affect psychological theories, interventions and social policies in various domains, from health to education, from work to leisure. Books in the series will investigate such issues as enhanced mobility of people across nations, ethnic conflicts and the challenges faced by traditional communities due to the pervasive spreading of modernization trends. New instruments and models will be proposed to identify the crucial components of well-being in the process of acculturation. This series will also explore dimensions and components of happiness that are currently overlooked because happiness research is grounded in the Western tradition, and these dimensions do not belong to the Western cultural frame of mind and values. For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/8420

Chu Kim-Prieto Editor Religion and Spirituality Across Cultures

Editor Chu Kim-Prieto Department of Psychology The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ, USA ISSN 2210-5417 ISSN 2210-5425 (electronic) ISBN 978-94-017-8949-3 ISBN 978-94-017-8950-9 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8950-9 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg New York London Library of Congress Control Number: 2014942927 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)

Contents 1 Introduction: Positive Psychology of Religion Across Traditions and Beliefs... 1 Chu Kim-Prieto Part I Positive Psychology within the Context of Specific Religions 2 Virtues That Transcend: Positive Psychology in Jewish Texts and Tradition... 21 Eliezer Schnall, Mark Schiffman, and Aaron Cherniak 3 The Contributions of Christian Perspectives and Practices to Positive Psychology... 47 Everett L. Worthington Jr., Caroline R. Lavelock, Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Charlotte van OyenWitvliet, Brandon J. Griffin, Chelsea L. Greer, David J. Jennings II, Yin Lin, Kayla Jordan, and Man Yee Ho 4 Religiosity and Well-Being in a Muslim Context... 71 Ahmed M. Abdel-Khalek 5 Fostering Meaning, Social Connection, and Well-Being Through Hindu Beliefs and Practices... 87 Maia J Young and Rakesh Sarin 6 Buddhism and Positive Psychology... 101 Julia L. Cassaniti 7 Sikhism and Positive Psychology... 125 Muninder K. Ahluwalia, Anna Flores Locke, and Steven Hylton 8 American Indian Traditional Ways: Convergence and Divergence with Positive Psychology... 137 Leah Rouse v

vi Contents Part II Variations in the Paths to Positivity and Religiosity 9 Religiosity and Subjective Well-Being: An International Perspective... 163 Louis Tay, Miao Li, David Myers, and Ed Diener 10 Religious/Spiritual Meaning Systems: Multiple Pathways to Well-Being... 177 Crystal L. Park and Amy Hale 11 Mindfulness, Consciousness, Spirituality, and Well-Being... 203 Emily L.B. Lykins 12 Mind-Body Practices and the Neuro- psychology of Wellbeing... 227 Patricia L. Gerbarg, Liselotte Gootjes, and Richard P. Brown 13 Religion, Emotion Regulation, and Well-Being... 247 Allon Vishkin, Yochanan Bigman, and Maya Tamir 14 Humility and Religion: Benefits, Difficulties, and a Model of Religious Tolerance... 271 Elissa Woodruff, Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Stacey McElroy, Don E. Davis, and Joshua N. Hook 15 Gratitude and Spirituality: A Review of Theory and Research... 287 Derrick Wirtz, Cameron L. Gordon, and Juliann Stalls 16 Religion and Forgiveness of Others... 303 Mark S. Rye and Cara F. McCabe 17 Religious Ecstasy and Other Intense Emotions... 319 Ralph W. Hood Jr. 18 Spiritual Resilience and Struggle Following the Experience of a Stroke... 337 Margaret Feuille Bockrath, Kenneth I. Pargament, and Sharon K. Ostwald 19 Religiosity and Immigrant Family Narratives in Korean American Young Adults... 355 Sumie Okazaki and Nancy Abelmann