Belief in a Loving Versus Punitive God and Behavior

James A. Shepperd; Gabrielle Pogge; Nikolette P. Lipsey; Wendi A. Miller; Gregory D. Webster

doi:10.1111/jora.12437

Belief in a Loving Versus Punitive God and Behavior

James A. Shepperd, Gabrielle Pogge, Nikolette P. Lipsey, Wendi A. Miller, Gregory D. Webster

Penn State Mont Alto

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examined the extent to which beliefs in a loving God and punitive God correspond with self-reported behavior in an online, longitudinal survey involving three waves of data collection, each separated by 6 months. Adolescents (N = 760) reported the extent to which they believed in a loving God and a punitive God (Times 1 and 3) and reported their engagement in benevolent (helping and forgiveness) and aggressive behavior (Times 2 and 3). Participants strongly endorsed a loving God but not a punitive God. In addition, belief in a loving God corresponded with reports of less aggressive and more benevolent behavior, whereas belief in a punitive God corresponded with more aggressive and less benevolent behavior.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	390-401
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Research on Adolescence
Volume	29
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12437
State	Published - Jun 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Cultural Studies
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1111/jora.12437

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title = "Belief in a Loving Versus Punitive God and Behavior",

abstract = "We examined the extent to which beliefs in a loving God and punitive God correspond with self-reported behavior in an online, longitudinal survey involving three waves of data collection, each separated by 6 months. Adolescents (N = 760) reported the extent to which they believed in a loving God and a punitive God (Times 1 and 3) and reported their engagement in benevolent (helping and forgiveness) and aggressive behavior (Times 2 and 3). Participants strongly endorsed a loving God but not a punitive God. In addition, belief in a loving God corresponded with reports of less aggressive and more benevolent behavior, whereas belief in a punitive God corresponded with more aggressive and less benevolent behavior.",

author = "Shepperd, {James A.} and Gabrielle Pogge and Lipsey, {Nikolette P.} and Miller, {Wendi A.} and Webster, {Gregory D.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by a grant from the Templeton Foundation (#12829). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 Society for Research on Adolescence",

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AU - Webster, Gregory D.

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Belief in a Loving Versus Punitive God and Behavior

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