Personality Psychology Podcast #26 Spirituality and religiosity with Julie Exline
Jan 5, 2023
Julie Exline, a psychology professor at Case Western Reserve University, dives into the psychology of spirituality and religiosity. She shares her journey into the field and the nature of spiritual struggles many face. The conversation touches on balancing spirituality within conservative beliefs and the complexities of emotions like anger towards God, even among atheists. Exline discusses how personality traits shape these experiences and highlights the benefits of non-dogmatic spiritual direction and integrating spirituality into therapy.
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Personal Journey and Spiritual Struggles
- Julie Exline's strict religious upbringing fostered community but also fear due to beliefs about hell and the rapture.
- Leaving an abusive marriage led to feeling unsupported by her community, sparking anger and her study of spiritual struggles.
Personality and Spirituality
- Conscientiousness and agreeableness correlate with religiousness, while openness to experience distinguishes spiritual seekers from the traditionally religious.
- Open individuals may explore diverse spiritual paths, potentially clashing with rigid religious structures.
Commonality of Spiritual Struggles
- Spiritual struggles, including divine/demonic, interpersonal, doubt, meaning, and moral struggles, are common, affecting over 70% of people.
- Normalizing these struggles reduces shame and promotes growth, while shaming exacerbates negative feelings and hinders healing.