P-12 A Latitudinal Analysis of Adventist Beliefs, Behaviors, and Spiritual Well-Being
Presenter Status
Undergraduate, Psychology
Second Presenter Status
Professor of Psychology, Psychology
Third Presenter Status
Senior Research Professor, Sociology
Preferred Session
Poster Session
Location
Buller Hall Hallways
Start Date
21-10-2022 2:00 PM
End Date
21-10-2022 3:00 PM
Presentation Abstract
In this study, we examined cultural influences on religious beliefs within a global sample of Seventh-day Adventists. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a strict church, meaning that the Church represents a distinct and consistent social group within many different cultural ecosystems around the globe (Wilson et al., 2016). Strict churches attempt to insulate members from other groups in the cultural ecosystem. Because cultural ecosystems of interacting and overlapping social groups vary by latitude—societies differ pole to equator far more consistently than East to West (Van de Vliert & Van Lange, 2020)—we analyzed whether Adventist belief and behavior vary by latitude. Accordingly, we examined associations between measures of belief and behavior in the Global Church Member Survey II (2017-2018; Bailey et al., 2018) aggregated by country or region, measures of cultural context, and population-weighted latitude. Measures of cultural context correlated moderately to strongly with latitude, replicating previous work. Spiritual well-being, core Adventist beliefs, and personal devotional practices varied weakly or not at all by latitude. However, spiritual struggle, legalism, spiritualism, and social religious behaviors (all decreasing toward poles) did show large associations with latitude. These patterns reflect pressures within cultural ecosystems that build intuitive beliefs and compel high-cost practices.
P-12 A Latitudinal Analysis of Adventist Beliefs, Behaviors, and Spiritual Well-Being
Buller Hall Hallways
In this study, we examined cultural influences on religious beliefs within a global sample of Seventh-day Adventists. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a strict church, meaning that the Church represents a distinct and consistent social group within many different cultural ecosystems around the globe (Wilson et al., 2016). Strict churches attempt to insulate members from other groups in the cultural ecosystem. Because cultural ecosystems of interacting and overlapping social groups vary by latitude—societies differ pole to equator far more consistently than East to West (Van de Vliert & Van Lange, 2020)—we analyzed whether Adventist belief and behavior vary by latitude. Accordingly, we examined associations between measures of belief and behavior in the Global Church Member Survey II (2017-2018; Bailey et al., 2018) aggregated by country or region, measures of cultural context, and population-weighted latitude. Measures of cultural context correlated moderately to strongly with latitude, replicating previous work. Spiritual well-being, core Adventist beliefs, and personal devotional practices varied weakly or not at all by latitude. However, spiritual struggle, legalism, spiritualism, and social religious behaviors (all decreasing toward poles) did show large associations with latitude. These patterns reflect pressures within cultural ecosystems that build intuitive beliefs and compel high-cost practices.
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge both Dr. Bailey for his help in data analysis and expertise and Dr. McBride for his inspirational insight.