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Christianity and Subjective Wellbeing: A Study of Hong Kong

Received: 2 February 2021     Accepted: 15 February 2021     Published: 23 February 2021
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Abstract

This paper examined the relationship between Christianity and subjective wellbeing by embedding in a revised homeostatic model of subjective wellbeing (SWB) which integrates the affective (homeostatically protected mood: content, happy and excited), cognitive (self-esteem, optimism and perceived control: primary control and secondary control) and experiential factors relating to SWB. In Christianity, God is the creator and lord of life and its doctrine advocates self-abnegation and committing to God; hence, three hypotheses were tested as: First, compared with those without religious belief, the Christians would be higher in SWB, secondary control and optimism, but lower in primary control and self-esteem. Second, for the Christians, each of the cognitive factors of secondary control and optimism would predict more significant SWB variance beyond the other homeostatic model factors than that of primary control and self-esteem. Third, compared with those without religious belief, each of the cognitive factors of secondary control and optimism for Christians would predict more significant SWB variance beyond the other homeostatic model factors, while that of primary control and self-esteem would predict less significant SWB variance. Four hundred and eighteen Chinese respondents were recruited in Hong Kong (178 Christians and 240 without religious belief) to complete a questionnaire. The results revealed that no significant intergroup difference was found on SWB and all cognitive factors. Besides, while Christians’ optimism predicted more significant SWB variance than primary control (3%) and self-esteem (1%), their secondary control failed to make any independent contribution. Additionally, compared with those without religious belief, Christians’ primary control (2%) and self-esteem (3%) explained lesser significant SWB variance. However, while Christians’ optimism predicted more significant variance (3%) than those without religious belief, secondary control for each of the groups failed to make any independent contribution. The results were discussed in terms of inappropriateness and non-specificity of the scale used in measuring secondary control, and a newly proposed construct of religious self-esteem.

Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17
Page(s) 56-62
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Christianity, Subjective Wellbeing, Self-esteem, Optimism, Primary Control, Secondary Control

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Lufanna Ching-han Lai. (2021). Christianity and Subjective Wellbeing: A Study of Hong Kong. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 10(1), 56-62. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17

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    Lufanna Ching-han Lai. Christianity and Subjective Wellbeing: A Study of Hong Kong. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2021, 10(1), 56-62. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17

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    AMA Style

    Lufanna Ching-han Lai. Christianity and Subjective Wellbeing: A Study of Hong Kong. Psychol Behav Sci. 2021;10(1):56-62. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17

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  • @article{10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17,
      author = {Lufanna Ching-han Lai},
      title = {Christianity and Subjective Wellbeing: A Study of Hong Kong},
      journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
      volume = {10},
      number = {1},
      pages = {56-62},
      doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20211001.17},
      abstract = {This paper examined the relationship between Christianity and subjective wellbeing by embedding in a revised homeostatic model of subjective wellbeing (SWB) which integrates the affective (homeostatically protected mood: content, happy and excited), cognitive (self-esteem, optimism and perceived control: primary control and secondary control) and experiential factors relating to SWB. In Christianity, God is the creator and lord of life and its doctrine advocates self-abnegation and committing to God; hence, three hypotheses were tested as: First, compared with those without religious belief, the Christians would be higher in SWB, secondary control and optimism, but lower in primary control and self-esteem. Second, for the Christians, each of the cognitive factors of secondary control and optimism would predict more significant SWB variance beyond the other homeostatic model factors than that of primary control and self-esteem. Third, compared with those without religious belief, each of the cognitive factors of secondary control and optimism for Christians would predict more significant SWB variance beyond the other homeostatic model factors, while that of primary control and self-esteem would predict less significant SWB variance. Four hundred and eighteen Chinese respondents were recruited in Hong Kong (178 Christians and 240 without religious belief) to complete a questionnaire. The results revealed that no significant intergroup difference was found on SWB and all cognitive factors. Besides, while Christians’ optimism predicted more significant SWB variance than primary control (3%) and self-esteem (1%), their secondary control failed to make any independent contribution. Additionally, compared with those without religious belief, Christians’ primary control (2%) and self-esteem (3%) explained lesser significant SWB variance. However, while Christians’ optimism predicted more significant variance (3%) than those without religious belief, secondary control for each of the groups failed to make any independent contribution. The results were discussed in terms of inappropriateness and non-specificity of the scale used in measuring secondary control, and a newly proposed construct of religious self-esteem.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Christianity and Subjective Wellbeing: A Study of Hong Kong
    AU  - Lufanna Ching-han Lai
    Y1  - 2021/02/23
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17
    DO  - 10.11648/j.pbs.20211001.17
    T2  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
    JF  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
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    AB  - This paper examined the relationship between Christianity and subjective wellbeing by embedding in a revised homeostatic model of subjective wellbeing (SWB) which integrates the affective (homeostatically protected mood: content, happy and excited), cognitive (self-esteem, optimism and perceived control: primary control and secondary control) and experiential factors relating to SWB. In Christianity, God is the creator and lord of life and its doctrine advocates self-abnegation and committing to God; hence, three hypotheses were tested as: First, compared with those without religious belief, the Christians would be higher in SWB, secondary control and optimism, but lower in primary control and self-esteem. Second, for the Christians, each of the cognitive factors of secondary control and optimism would predict more significant SWB variance beyond the other homeostatic model factors than that of primary control and self-esteem. Third, compared with those without religious belief, each of the cognitive factors of secondary control and optimism for Christians would predict more significant SWB variance beyond the other homeostatic model factors, while that of primary control and self-esteem would predict less significant SWB variance. Four hundred and eighteen Chinese respondents were recruited in Hong Kong (178 Christians and 240 without religious belief) to complete a questionnaire. The results revealed that no significant intergroup difference was found on SWB and all cognitive factors. Besides, while Christians’ optimism predicted more significant SWB variance than primary control (3%) and self-esteem (1%), their secondary control failed to make any independent contribution. Additionally, compared with those without religious belief, Christians’ primary control (2%) and self-esteem (3%) explained lesser significant SWB variance. However, while Christians’ optimism predicted more significant variance (3%) than those without religious belief, secondary control for each of the groups failed to make any independent contribution. The results were discussed in terms of inappropriateness and non-specificity of the scale used in measuring secondary control, and a newly proposed construct of religious self-esteem.
    VL  - 10
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Author Information
  • Department of Counselling and Psychology, The Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China

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