Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2023
Abstract
When it comes to the integration of positive psychology and the psychology of religion/spirituality (R/S), there are three second-order, philosophical questions that need answering: Can these two fields be integrated? Should these two fields be integrated? And, if so, how is it best to integrate these two fields? Although this chapter touches on the logical and normative questions, it is the third, methodological question that receives the greatest attention. We argue that although, from a philosophical perspective, there are no methodological barriers to integrating these two subfields, there is a methodological bonanza in their integration. The golden opportunity is for integrative researchers to abandon a methodological exclusivism that privileges the research methods of the natural sciences in favor of a methodological pluralism that critically engages the philosophical schools and religious/spiritual traditions within which features of human well-being and religious/spiritual life are located. This more eclectic epistemology will provide a broader evidential basis for integrative conclusions and will help connect those conclusions to the realities and complexities of human lives.
Publisher Statement
This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.
Recommended Citation
Porter, S. L., Baehr, J., Porter, T., & Roberts, R. C. (2023). On the Integration of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion/Spirituality: Logical, Normative, and Methodological Questions. In E. B. Davis, E. L. Worthington Jr., & S. A. Schnitker (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality (pp. 37–51). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10274-5_3
