Beyond the West: Religiosity and the Sense of Mastery in Modern Taiwan

This study examines the association between religiosity and personal mastery in the Chinese context, testing two theses: relinquished control and personal empowerment. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 1,881 Taiwanese adults, I find that: (a) beliefs in karma and one supreme God and prayer are negatively associated with the sense of mastery and (b) the estimated net effect of some devotional activities, such as meditation, appear to be robust, statistically significant, and positive. Implications of this study are discussed.