Purpose in Life: a Comparison between Communities of the Non-religious and the Religious

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that people of faith often report higher levels of purpose in life than the general population. It has been suggested this may be because they hold a meaningful world view rather than as a consequence of faith. It can be argued that humanists, like people of faith, also hold a meaningful world view, albeit one that is based upon a philosophy of naturalism. This article compares a sample of 1,042 members of Humanists UK with population norms, and a sample of religious groups, using the Purpose in Life Test to assess their reported levels of purpose in life. The data demonstrate that humanists record higher levels of purpose in life than the general population.