Описание: While almost everyone in Japan regularly participates in traditional
activities that are religious and spiritual in nature, it is perplexing
that only 20 to 30% of the population self-identify with a particular
religion. Several accounts have been offered to explain this discrepancy,
but these speculations had never been examined empirically. There
are several reasons as to why Japanese empirical scientists ignored the
topic for so long. One may be that Japanese scientists themselves are
too accustomed to the tradition to reflect upon the discrepancy. Since
even astute researchers may fail to recognize such a fertile field for empirical
research, the opportunities and venues to pursue this line of research
in Japanese academia have been scarce.
The Empirical Study of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
in Japan is a translated version of the original book, a collection
of chapters by scholars from different psychological disciplines. It is
the first book with an emphasis on empirical perspectives on the topic.
Thus, it is also the first book written in English in the field. This book
offers not only detailed empirical data, but also an examination of the
theories and ideologies that underlie contemporary understanding of
religion and spirituality in Japan.
