Personality change following religious conversion: perceptions of converts and their close acquaintances
This study focuses on how converts and their close acquaintances perceive changes in personality characteristics after religious conversion and possible demographic influences of these perceptions. Sixty Slovakian respondents self-defined as having experienced conversions rated themselves twice on m...
Authors: | ; |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2011
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In: |
Mental health, religion & culture
Year: 2011, Volume: 14, Issue: 8, Pages: 757-768 |
Further subjects: | B
Big Five
B Self-perception B Personality B Self-esteem B Religious Conversion B meaning in life |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Summary: | This study focuses on how converts and their close acquaintances perceive changes in personality characteristics after religious conversion and possible demographic influences of these perceptions. Sixty Slovakian respondents self-defined as having experienced conversions rated themselves twice on measures of Big Five personality traits, self-esteem, and meaningfulness in life. The first rating provided retrospective information concerning pre-conversion conditions and the second rating obtained data reflecting the convert's present self-understanding. In addition, every convert was rated on the same characteristics by someone who knew the person well during both pre- and post-conversion times. The convert and the rater both provided demographic information (age, education, religiosity, relationship to conversions and converts etc.). Analyses showed that the converts perceived several personality changes: neuroticism decreased while self-esteem, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion increased. They also reported a large increase in meaningfulness. Perceived changes were in part related to education level and age for converts, and to religiosity in both converts and close persons, suggesting a retrospective bias. |
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ISSN: | 1469-9737 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Mental health, religion & culture
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2010.522564 |