The Challenges of Research in the Psychology of Religion among Jewish (Israeli) Samples

Abstract

Measures and conceptualizations in the psychology of religion have been developed on predominantly Christian samples and their transportation to the study of other religions can be problematic. A review of empirical research on Israeli Jewish samples in different research areas—measuring religiousness, religious motivation, mystical experience, prayer, religious support, religious fundamentalism, and religiousness & sexuality—is presented and the significance of differences in orthodoxy / orthopraxy orientation, religious theology and belief, religious practice, and sociological aspects of religious life for empirical research in the psychology of religion is demonstrated. Methodological recommendations in each instance are provided. Many of the insights and recommendations presented here are applicable to the study of additional non-Christian religions.