Individual Psychology and the Study of Spirituality

UK Adlerian Yearbook, 2014

This article addresses the publication record of Individual Psychologists within the field of the psychology of religion and spirituality. By means of a thorough literature review, it refutes the common opinion that there are very few Individual Psychology (IP) articles related to this research and clinical practice. Provided in this article is the original list of published IP articles from 1922 to 2009. The author suggests that this list be used as the groundwork towards continued and future research in religion and spirituality by Individual Psychologists. In the midst of growing clinical appreciation for issues of diversity,-which within the major professional ethical codes now includes religion and spirituality-it would be helpful to establish just where Individual Psychology stands on the topic of the psychology of religion and spirituality. A number of questions are raised in this regard. Are Individual Psychologists making a contribution to the psychological study of religion and spirituality? Do Individual Psychologists strive within their scientific writing to understand how religion and spirituality interact with the psyche? (*) Paper presented at the

The 'Psychological' and the 'Spiritual' ( in a .doc format), 2013

Dialogue or Dual Monologue? Psychology and Religion Sit Down at the Table. [Review of] Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. by James M. Nelson. PsycCRITIQUES (Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books), Sept. 30, 2009, Vol. 54, Release 39, Article 1.

Psychological Studies

Journal of Religion and Health

This paper begins with an overview of the governing principles of psychology as a discipline, and outlines the key paradigm shifts that potentially aligned with concepts of spirituality from the early twentieth century to contemporary theory. The discussion then moves to consider how research methods in psychology can contribute to understanding how spirituality is measured and described. We consider the contribution of validated surveys, and how qualitative methods can access the lived experience of spiritual phenomena. More specifically, the psychological constructs of "Flow" and properties associated with psychological capital are posited in relation to characteristics that define a spiritual experience. Finally, we draw attention to how exploration how spirituality of individuals may be addressed, and the scope for including spiritual appreciation in competencies required in psychological practice.

2015

True spirituality gives attention to the moral dimension in our lives. It is false thinking then to separate morality from spiritu-ality; there can be no moral development without a spirituality to sustain it and deepen it, and a spirituality divorced from morality only fosters the illusion of righteousness. –Neville Symington, Emotion and Spirit To really understand how human morality works... it may be advisable to shift attention away from the study of moral reasoning and toward the study of intuitive and emotional processes. –Jonathan Haidt, The Emotional Dog and Its Rational Tail Within the psychology of religion, a majorarea of theory and research has alwaysbeen religious conversion or spiritual transformation (Emmons & Paloutzian, 2003; Palou-tizian & Park, 2005). Paloutzian (2005) has suggested that since much of psychology is concerned with learning how human beings change, and developing effective methods for change, continued exploration of the processes that mediate spir...

British Journal of Psychology, 2011

Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 2004

2017

Some remarks about psychology of religion meant as a specific and autonomous domain are reported. The need of defining the object of investigation (religion) in a proper way and of defending the peculiarity of the approach (psychology) against the neurobiological and sociological reductionisms is stressed. The psychologist is interested not in religion itself, but in what occurs in human mind when religion is encountered within a culture (that is, religiosity). It is argued that religion is different from spirituality, search for meaning, mindfulness and so on since it is characterised by the subjective conviction to be in relation with the Transcendent. Such a conviction is expressed in beliefs, feelings, interpersonal relationships, rituals, normative behaviours. On one hand these aspects concern individual experience and, on the other hand, they are instantiated in a specific culture, with its own institutions, symbols and language, which develop in a given spatial-temporal conte...

The branch of study, the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, is filled with theoretical, practical, and empirical publications on the connection between religion, spirituality, and the psyche. In the accumulation of published thought, this dissertation has sought to investigate and highlight the contribution of Individual Psychology while simultaneously critically reflecting on the theory’s limitations and weaknesses. In this study, a thorough literature search has been conducted of published articles that combine Individual Psychology with identified keywords of religion and spirituality. The resulting online database and library search retrieving 180 articles that matched the criteria of Psychology of Religion and Spirituality and Individual Psychology literature were analyzed using a content analysis. The content analysis was preformed with a modified version of Capps, Ransohoff & Rambo (1976) coding form and interrater reliability testing. The results demonstrated that Individual Psychology and Psychology of Religion and Spirituality articles have been published across 23 journals with the overwhelmingly majority published in exclusive Individual Psychology journals versus non-Individual Psychology Journals (n = 155 journals and n =25). The historical review of publications by decade has shown an increased emphasis in Religion and Spirituality publications overall and specifically during decade periods of increased interest in the greater psychological community.