The Contribution of Positive and Negative Affect to Life Satisfaction across Age

Applied Research in Quality of Life - People rely on their recent emotional experiences when constructing life satisfaction judgments. However, the role of positive and negative affect in life...     

Does thinking about the meaning of life make you happy in a religious and globalised world? A 75-nation study

This paper reports on a multilevel study of 75 nations, which tests two hypotheses that arose from considering Tolstoy's experience of thinking about the meaning and purpose of life. The globalisation-as-exacerbator hypothesis predicts that as globalisation increases, the relationship between thinking about the meaning and purpose of life and life satisfaction becomes more negative. The religiosity-as-buffer hypothesis predicts that as religiosity increases, the relationship between thinking about the meaning and purpose of life and life satisfaction becomes more positive. The results presented here support both hypotheses. We also found that it is religious attendance (not religious belief) that functions as a buffer in the relationship between thinking about the meaning and purpose of life and life satisfaction.     

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL): A Study on Muslims

The aim of this study was translation and validation of the Duke University Religion Index in Iranian Muslims. The study was performed in two stages. In the first stage, 1,762 college students from Qazvin city with an average age of 21.2 years participated in the study. In the second phase, 796 college students with an average age of 23.7 were recruited from Tehran. A demographic questionnaire, Santa Clara Strength Faith questionnaire (SCSORF), and Duke Religion Index (DUREL) were administered. Cultural adaptation of these measures was performed by a forward–backward translation technique. Test–retest reliability and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used for assessing reliability. Convergent validity was measured by Spearman correlation between DUREL and SCSORF. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) evaluated the factor structure. Results showed that the scale is reliable. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.866 to 0.921 and ICC ranged from 0.937 to 0.991. Correlations between DUREL and SCSORF were also strong (ranging from 0.62 to 0.79). Results obtained from CFA and EFA confirmed one-dimension for the DUREL. Thus, the DUREL appears to be a proper measure for assessing religiosity among Iranian Muslims. Further testing of the scale among minorities and those with special health-related conditions is suggested.     

Lifetime Abuse and Mental Health Among Older Persons: A European Study

This study aimed to investigate the association of lifetime abuse and mental health among older persons, considering associated factors (e.g., demographics) through a cross-sectional design. We recruited 4,467 women and men ages 60–84 years from 7 European cities. Mental health was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and physical injuries) based on the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale and the UK survey of abuse/neglect of older people. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that country of residence, low educational level, and experienced financial strain increased the odds of probable cases of anxiety and depression. Female sex, white-collar profession, and financial support by social/other benefits/or partner income were associated with higher odds of anxiety, while older age and experience of lifetime injury were associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms. The findings of this study indicate that socioeconomic factors, as well as experienced lifetime severe physical abuse leading to injuries, are significant in perceived mental health of adults in later life.     

Factor Structure of Subjective Well-Being in Iran

Subjective well-being is predominantly conceived as having 3 components: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. This article reports 2 studies that seek to investigate the factor structure of subjective well-being in Iran. One-, two-, and three-factor models of subjective well-being were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The results of Study 1 (N = 2,197) and Study 2 (N = 207) show that whereas the 1- and 2-factor models do not fit the data well, the 3-factor model provides an adequate fit. These results indicate that the 3 components of subjective well-being constitute 3 interrelated, yet distinct, factors. The analyses demonstrate how traditional CFA and ESEM can be combined to obtain a clear picture of the measurement model of subjective well-being and generate new insights about individual items and cross-loadings needed to derive more parsimonious measures. Nuances relating to the assessment of subjective well-being in more collectivist and Muslim countries are discussed.     

TECHNOLOGY AND MUSLIMS: A FIELD STUDY OF IRANIAN SCHOLARS

Muslim scholars have had different approaches toward modern technologies. Defining the situation in various Islamic countries is dependent on knowing the approaches adopted by their scholars. These approaches create norms which can shed light on the reasons for the success and failure of access to technology and its transference. The present article sets out to analyze the views of the Qom seminary scholars in Iran about the development of modern technologies within the framework of the development sociology using the qualitative methodology of grounded theory. To this end, such techniques as conducting interviews and investigating documents have been used to gather the data. The authors find four paradigm models regarding modern technologies among the Qom seminary scholars. These models are classified into two general categories: optimistic and pessimistic. In the end, an “appropriate technology” approach is introduced as an approach singled out by the researchers.     

Religiosity Reduces the Negative Influence of Injustice on Subjective Well-being: A Study in 121 Nations

National injustice has been linked to lower national happiness. We predict that national religiosity will mitigate this negative influence of injustice on happiness. We test this hypothesis analyzing national-level data from 121 nations, using a single-level moderated regression analysis. To capture various aspects of national injustice, we combine four national measures associated with injustice, namely: indexes of group grievances, political terror, rule of law, and corruption perceptions. The results show that national religiosity has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between injustice and happiness, such that higher levels of religiosity mitigate more of the negative effects of injustice on happiness than lower levels do. The results hold when religious affiliation and indexes of economic prosperity, education, and social support are controlled for. These results indicate that people in religious cultures may successfully utilize religious faith to deal with adverse conditions.     

Ibn Sina and the status of moral sentences

There are some texts about moral sentences in the Islamic logical literature especially in the logical books of Ibn Sina that have been interpreted in completely opposite ways. Relying on these texts, some scholars take Ibn Sina to be proposing a non-cognitive theory of ethics and to the contrary some scholars hold that he is a proponent of a sort of moral intuitionism. Reflecting on the alleged textual evidence in Ibn Sina’s books, I propose a middle way in the interpretation that accepts the cognitive status of the moral sentences but at the same time rejects intuitionism.