Big Four Religious Dimensions Model and Psychology

 

The Big Four Religious Dimensions Model is a theoretical model of the psychological dimensions of religion proposed by Vassilis Saroglou (2011). The model illustrates four basic dimensions, which are universally true of religions across multiple cultures and distinguish religion from other social constructs.

See the paragraphs below for a summary of The Big Four Religious Dimensions. The concepts in parentheses link to the SCOPES model of psychosocial functioning.

Believing (Cognition)

The key feature of believing, a cognitive function, are beliefs in transcendence; that is, in God, gods, or spiritual forces beyond people and the natural world. This dimension sets the religious apart from atheists, the nonreligious, and the nonspiritual. This dimension is also relevant to understanding religion as a meaning-making process.

Bonding (Emotion)

The key feature of bonding is the emotional experience people find through religious practices or rituals. The experiences bond the religious to their ultimate reality. Examples of common rituals which vary across religions and cultures are prayer, meditation, worship, public ceremonies, and pilgrimages.

Behaving (Behavior Patterns)

Morality is the key feature of behaving in right or wrong ways according to one’s religion. The moral values promote social order and reciprocal altruism. Religions offer higher moral standards than found in the host culture and provide taboos that are nonnegotiable. Examples of this moral feature include the widely acclaimed virtues such as altruism, sacrifice, and humility.

Belonging (Social Context)

Religions offer people a social identity and meet a universal need to belong. They are transcultural and transhistorical thus promoting a valuable social identity and group self-esteem. People sharing the same religion celebrate a connectedness when they meet at international events. And religions connect people with an illustrious past and a hope-filled perspective on eternity.

Saroglou suggests how the combination of two dimensions may link to recognizable forms of religious communities or expressions.

Believing + Bonding = Spirituality

Believing + Behaving = Intrinsic Religion

Believing + Belonging = Orthodox religious groups

Bonding + Behaving = Asceticism

Bonding + Belonging = Charismatic communities

Behaving + Belonging = Moral communities

Related Posts

Rambo's Stage Theory of Religious Conversion

Religious Deidentification

SCOPES model of human functioning

Reference

Saroglou, V. (2011). Believing, Bonding, Behaving, and Belonging: The Big Four Religious Dimensions and Cultural Variation. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 42(8), 1320–1340. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022111412267

Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

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