Although there is evidence for the role of religiosity in mental health, little is known about how religiosity develops in childhood and adolescence, or about the role of religion in psychological well-being during these early life stages. I propose that well-being is influenced by the alignment between one’s personal religiosity and both their broader cultural context as well as intrapersonal factors (personality traits). First, across four studies, I show that person-culture fit is related to better well-being. Second, I aim to investigate how personality (beginning in infancy) contributes to individual differences in religiosity, religious change, and ensuing well-being in childhood and adolescence. Specifically, I propose that certain early developing, partially heritable personality dispositions are more fit to religiosity than others, and people are motivated to achieve intrapersonal coherence. Therefore, people will develop and change religiously in ways that align religiosity with their personality, and those who achieve this will benefit from improved well-being and remain religiously stable. Thus, relying mainly on two large-scale longitudinal studies, I will examine: (a) how early personality influences religiosity in childhood and adolescence, (b) how intrapersonal fit contributes to well-being, and (c) whether people change religiously to better align religiosity with their personality, and whether such changes enhance well-being. Findings may: (a) clarify how biologically influenced traits contribute to religious development and well-being, (b) provide a framework for studying other life domains (e.g., personal values), where alignment may promote well-being, and (c) inform interventions aimed at improving well-being by fostering awareness of alignment mismatches.

Supervisor: Prof. Ariel Knafo-Noam