TY - JOUR
T1 - Social versus individual motivation
T2 - Implications for normative definitions of religious orientation
AU - Cohen, Adam B.
AU - Hall, Daniel E.
AU - Koenig, Harold G.
AU - Meador, Keith G.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - The traditional interpretation of "intrinsic" religiousness has fostered an unchallenged assumption that normative and substantive religious motivation is inherently individual and personal. Social motives for religiousness and structured practices have been characterized as "extrinsic" and as lacking informative significance. We argue that this view is most applicable in American Protestant religions, and hence existing religious motivation scales reflect a distinctly American Protestant view. We then show that social motives and structured ritual practices are, in fact, as normative as individual motivations in several religious traditions. In particular, we describe the social practices and motives normative for Judaism and certain streams of Christianity. We then discuss the potential relevance of this analysis to emotion, collective identity, and moral judgment.
AB - The traditional interpretation of "intrinsic" religiousness has fostered an unchallenged assumption that normative and substantive religious motivation is inherently individual and personal. Social motives for religiousness and structured practices have been characterized as "extrinsic" and as lacking informative significance. We argue that this view is most applicable in American Protestant religions, and hence existing religious motivation scales reflect a distinctly American Protestant view. We then show that social motives and structured ritual practices are, in fact, as normative as individual motivations in several religious traditions. In particular, we describe the social practices and motives normative for Judaism and certain streams of Christianity. We then discuss the potential relevance of this analysis to emotion, collective identity, and moral judgment.
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U2 - 10.1207/s15327957pspr0901_4
DO - 10.1207/s15327957pspr0901_4
M3 - Article
C2 - 15745864
AN - SCOPUS:15944428605
SN - 1088-8683
VL - 9
SP - 48
EP - 61
JO - Personality and Social Psychology Review
JF - Personality and Social Psychology Review
IS - 1
ER -