Religion can provide a sense of increased purpose in life for people who are socially disconnected
By ERIC W. DOLAN August 30, 2018
New research suggests that having a firmly held religious belief can provide a sense of increased purpose in life among those who are socially disconnected.
The findings, which were published in the Journal of Personality, indicate that religion can be one way that individuals cope with the reduced sense purpose in life that is associated with loneliness.
My program of research broadly looks at different ways people can cope with feelings of social disconnection, said study author Todd Chan, a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Michigan.
This paradox of feeling socially disconnected has always interested me: To feel less disconnected, people would ideally increase or improve their social contacts and sense of belonging, but this is not always a feasible solution given that an inherent part of social disconnection is that people have poor relationships or feel rejected.
More:
https://www.psypost.org/2018/08/people-who-are-socially-disconnected-turn-to-religion-to-restore-a-sense-of-purpose-to-their-lives-52082