RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
Associate Professor Jonathan Ramsay is the lead for research projects in this stream. Research in the Religion and Spirituality stream seeks elucidate the complex links between religious and spiritual identity and well-being, placing an emphasis on novel forms of spirituality as well as understudied religious groups in tropical regions, particularly Southeast Asia.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Non-Religious Spirituality and Sacred Experiences
This project examines the prevalence, antecedents, and consequences of sacred experiences among religious, spiritual but not religious (SBNR), and neither religious nor spiritual (NRNS) individuals. Emphasis is placed on the differing balance of psychosocial resources available to members of these groups and the possible consequences for well-being.
Religious and Spiritual Competencies for Psychotherapists
Religious and spiritual competencies are recognized as being increasingly important for mental health professionals, yet research on such competencies is almost entirely absent in Asia. This research project examines attitudes towards religious and spiritually integrated psychotherapy (RSIP) in Singapore with a view to enhancing understanding and practice.
Events, Narratives, and Supernatural Explanation
For religious and spiritual individuals, supernatural explanations play an important role in coping with stress and adversity. This project seeks to examine the kinds of events and narratives that promote supernatural explanations among members of these groups.
Sources of Well-being among the Spiritual but not Religious
Religious identification, enactment, and participation are known to positively influence well-being, yet it is unclear if and how spiritual but not religious (SBNR) individuals can leverage related resources. This research project examines these processes with a view to enhancing understanding of the complex links between spirituality and well-being.
Dimensions of Spirituality, Well-being, and Prosociality
Spirituality is a broad and multidimensional concept with many contested meanings. This project attempts to map the relationships between different forms of spirituality, well-being, prosociality, and relevant behavioural outcomes.