Apa Handbook Of Psychology Religion And Spirituality Context Theory And Research

"This two-volume handbook presents the most comprehensive coverage of the current state of the psychology of religion and spirituality. It introduces a new integrative paradigm for this rapidly growing and diverse field. This paradigm sheds light on the many purposes religion serves, the rich variety of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and the capacity of religion and spirituality to do both good and harm. The integrative paradigm encourages psychologists to attend to the ways religion and spirituality are expressed not only in individual lives, but also in the lives of couples, families, institutions, communities, and cultures. The handbook documents how the psychology of religion and spirituality is building on its theoretical and empirical foundation to encompass practice. The chapters in this handbook provide in-depth and varied perspectives of leading scholars and practitioners on the most vital questions in the field: What does it mean to say someone is religious or spiritual? Why are people religious and spiritual? How are people affected by the diverse ways they experience and express their faith? How are religion and spirituality shaped and manifested across different ages, ethnicities, religious traditions, and cultures? How can psychologists distinguish constructive from destructive forms of religion and spirituality? How can psychologists integrate religion and spirituality within various models of assessment and treatment? At a broader level, how can psychologists integrate knowledge about religion and spirituality more fully into efforts to address the most significant personal, social, and cultural problems of our day? In what ways might psychologists of religion and spirituality contribute to the full variety of human institutions -- mental health, medical, educational, correctional, military, workplace, and communal? And what distinctive contributions can the psychology of religion and spirituality make to mainstream psychological theory, research, and practice?"--Publisher's description.

"This two-volume handbook presents the most comprehensive coverage of the current state of the psychology of religion and spirituality. It introduces a new integrative paradigm for this rapidly growing and diverse field. This paradigm sheds light on the many purposes religion serves, the rich variety of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and the capacity of religion and spirituality to do both good and harm. The integrative paradigm encourages psychologists to attend to the ways religion and spirituality are expressed not only in individual lives, but also in the lives of couples, families, institutions, communities, and cultures. The handbook documents how the psychology of religion and spirituality is building on its theoretical and empirical foundation to encompass practice. The chapters in this handbook provide in-depth and varied perspectives of leading scholars and practitioners on the most vital questions in the field: What does it mean to say someone is religious or spiritual? Why are people religious and spiritual? How are people affected by the diverse ways they experience and express their faith? How are religion and spirituality shaped and manifested across different ages, ethnicities, religious traditions, and cultures? How can psychologists distinguish constructive from destructive forms of religion and spirituality? How can psychologists integrate religion and spirituality within various models of assessment and treatment? At a broader level, how can psychologists integrate knowledge about religion and spirituality more fully into efforts to address the most significant personal, social, and cultural problems of our day? In what ways might psychologists of religion and spirituality contribute to the full variety of human institutions -- mental health, medical, educational, correctional, military, workplace, and communal? And what distinctive contributions can the psychology of religion and spirituality make to mainstream psychological theory, research, and practice?"--Publisher's description.

"The goal of this handbook is to provide thorough coverage of the current state of the field: what we know about religion and spirituality and their roles in human functioning (as well as what we do not know), and how we can apply this knowledge to advance the welfare of people, individually and collectively. In addition, we hope to spur the field forward by encouraging greater coherence and integration in the field. To achieve our first goal of thorough coverage of the psychology of religion and spirituality, we have taken the ambitious approach of creating a two-volume handbook. To achieve our second goal of encouraging greater coherence in the field, we have taken two steps. First, we have developed an integrative paradigm, consisting of several guiding themes for the field. Our integrative paradigm is introduced in the first chapter of Volume 1 and elaborated further in the introduction to Volume 2. Readers are strongly encouraged to read these introductory chapters to provide them with this orienting vision for the field. We also shared the integrative paradigm with the authors of our chapters and asked them to work within this overarching perspective. Second, we have provided a strong organizing framework for these two volumes. Although both volumes integrate research, theory, and practice, the first volume places greater emphasis on research and theory, and the second volume focuses in greater detail on practice"--Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

"The goal of this handbook is to provide thorough coverage of the current state of the field: what we know about religion and spirituality and their roles in human functioning (as well as what we do not know), and how we can apply this knowledge to advance the welfare of people, individually and collectively. In addition, we hope to spur the field forward by encouraging greater coherence and integration in the field. To achieve our first goal of thorough coverage of the psychology of religion and spirituality, we have taken the ambitious approach of creating a two-volume handbook. To achieve our second goal of encouraging greater coherence in the field, we have taken two steps. First, we have developed an integrative paradigm, consisting of several guiding themes for the field. Our integrative paradigm is introduced in the first chapter of Volume 1 and elaborated further in the introduction to Volume 2. Readers are strongly encouraged to read these introductory chapters to provide them with this orienting vision for the field. We also shared the integrative paradigm with the authors of our chapters and asked them to work within this overarching perspective. Second, we have provided a strong organizing framework for these two volumes. Although both volumes integrate research, theory, and practice, the first volume places greater emphasis on research and theory, and the second volume focuses in greater detail on practice"--Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

This updated edition of The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality codifies the leading empirical evidence in the support and application of postmaterial psychological science. Lisa J. Miller has gathered together a group of ground-breaking scholars to showcase their work of many decades that has come further to fruition in the past ten years with the collective momentum of a Spiritual Renaissance in Psychological Science. With new and updated chapters from leading scholars in psychology, medicine, physics, and biology, the Handbook is an interdisciplinary reference for a rapidly emerging approach to contemporary science. Highlighting fresh ideas and supporting science, this overarching work provides both a foundation and a roadmap for what is truly a new ideological age.

Paloutzian (experimental and social psychology, Westmont College) and Park (psychology, U. of Connecticut) provide a 33-chapter handbook on the psychology of religion and spirituality, for social and clinical psychologists, pastoral counselors, and students and researchers in psychology and religious studies. Psychologists and a few religious studies specialists from the US and some countries in Europe address the foundations, including definitions, core issues, measurement assessment, research methods, psychodynamic psychology and religion, and evolutionary psychology as a foundation for the psychology of religion; religious and spiritual development across the lifespan; and the neural and cognitive bases of religion and connections to emotion, personality, culture, and social behavior. They discuss religious practices and rituals, conversion experiences, prayer, spiritual struggles, fundamentalism, forgiveness, values, and morality, and implications for individual and collective well-being in terms of health, mental health, coping, psychotherapy, workplace spirituality research, terrorism, and other areas. New topics in this edition include cross-cultural issues, spiritual goals, emotional values, and mindfulness. Most chapters have been redesigned or rewritten, with 25 new and eight revised chapters. The main themes of the book are more integrated, and the introductory and concluding chapters argue that the application of religious meaning systems and the multilevel interdisciplinary paradigm can allow reconceptualization of the field and expand research. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Over a century ago, psychologists who were fascinated with religion began to study and write about it. Theologians and religious practitioners have responded to this literature, producing a fascinating dialogue that deals with our fundamental und- standings about the human person and our place in the world. This book provides an introduction to the important conversations that have developed out of these interchanges. The dialogue between psychology and religion is difficult to study for a number of reasons. First, it requires knowledge of both psychology and religion. People with a background in psychology often lack a solid understanding of the religious traditions they wish to study, and theologians may not be up to date on the latest developments in psychology. Second, it requires conceptual tools to organize the material and understand the basic problems involved in any attempt to connect the science of psychology with religion. These concepts can be found in many places, for instance in the writings of philosophers of science, but they are complex and often hard to follow for those without a proper theological and philosophical ba- ground. Finally, authors who write on the topic come to the study of psychology and religion from a variety of academic and personal backgrounds. This makes for wonderful diversity in conversations, but it makes understanding and mastery of the material quite difficult.