Kenneth I. Pargament, Ph. D.
Professor, Department of Psychology
Bowling Green State University
This presentation will describe spirituality as a way of perceiving a deeper dimension of life. Empirical studies indicate that people attribute sacred qualities to many aspects of life, such as relationships, nature, work, virtues, and the body. Perceptions of sacredness have important implications for health and well-being. A growing body of research indicates that people are more likely to: (a) organize their lives around sacred goals and values; (b) preserve and protect aspects of life they hold sacred; and (c) invest more of their resources into and derive greater satisfaction and meaning from sanctified objects. However, perceptions of sacredness can be problematic when: (a) people experience the loss or violation of what they hold sacred; (b) when they imbue inappropriate objects (e.g., drugs, violence, despots) with sacred qualities; and (c) when people are intolerant of divergent views of the sacred. This presentation will conclude with a discussion of some of the practical implications of this perspective on spirituality for health care.
LOCATION:Harvard School of Public Health, FXB-G13, 651 Huntington Ave., Boston STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20141103T173000Z DTEND:20141103T183000Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR