Fitting in with the flock: Social attractiveness as a mechanism for well‐being in religious groups

Hayward, R. David; Elliott, Marta

doi:10.1002/ejsp.552

Cited by 29Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologySocial and Intergroup PsychologyReligion and Society Interactions

Fitting in with the flock: Social attractiveness as a mechanism for well‐being in religious groups

Hayward, R. David, Elliott, Marta·2009·European Journal of Social Psychology

DOI 10.1002/ejsp.552

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Abstract

For most people, religion is practiced and experienced within a social group of believers who interact regularly. Yet the role of social psychological intergroup processes has largely been ignored with respect to religious phenomena. The present study explores social attraction as a mechanism by which religious groups affect the psychological well‐being of their members. Data were taken from a large survey of the members of 411 religious congregations in the United States. Linear mixed modeling analyses were conducted predicting two aspects of well‐being in the religious context from a range of variables at the levels of the individual, of the group, and of individual–group fit. Fit measures between individual characteristics and norms within congregations were found to be significant predictors of well‐being for a variety of measures across domains of demographics, religious beliefs, religious behavior, and group integration. These results support the view that the intragroup process of social attraction is a mechanism by which people obtain some benefits from belonging to religious groups. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Aspects of social support specific to religion appear to be qualitatively different than non-religious social support and may have more potent effects on health.
“Aspects of social support specific to religion appear to be qualitatively different than non-religious social support (Krause, 2008), and may have more potent effects on health (Hayward & Elliott, 2009).”
From Advancing our understanding of religion and spirituality in the context of behavioral medicine (2017) · cites this paper as Hayward & Elliott, 2009

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Authors: Hayward, R. D., & Elliott, M.
Affiliations: University of Nevada, Reno (US)
Corresponding author: Hayward, R. David
ORCID: Hayward, R. David
Elliott, Marta
Venue: European Journal of Social Psychology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2008-07-13
Volume: 39
Issue: 4
Pages: 592-607
ISSN: 0046-2772 (ISSN-L)
1099-0992
DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.552
OpenAlex: W2051760106
Cited by: 29
References: 58
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
FWCI: 1.06
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: European Journal of Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
Keywords: social attraction, religious congregations, religious groups, psychological well-being, group norms, social belonging, intergroup processes, religious behavior, religious beliefs, group integration

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Fitting in with the flock: Social attractiveness as a mechanism for well‐being in religious groups

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