By Nalini Tarakeshwar, Yale University School of Medicine ; Jeffrey Stanton, Syracuse University ; Kenneth I. Pargament, Bowling Green State University.
Published in Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 34, No. 4, 377-394 (2003) DOI : 10.1177/0022022103034004001
This article argues that religion should be fully integrated into cross-cultural research for four reasons : (a) religion, by itself, occupies a substantial role in people’s lives across different cultures ; (b) religion has been found to be a strong predictor of important life domains among individuals all over the world ; (c) religion has a strong influence on cross-cultural dimensions ; and (d) culture also influences and shapes religious beliefs and practices. The authors present a five-dimensional framework of religion and provide recommendations on ways it can be integrated within cross-cultural research.