What is Personality?
Personality is the relatively stable set of characteristics of an individual that influences the way they think, interact, associate, and feel about the world around them. The impact of religion on personality is significant, as it can shape these characteristics in profound ways. An individual can exhibit different personality types based on their innate tendencies, predispositions, and environment. The impact of religion on personality is one of the most discussed aspects of individual development.
How are Personality and Religion Interconnected?
It is evident that many factors around us can affect one’s personality, and one of the key factors is religion. From an Indian perspective, the impact of religion on personality is substantial, playing a significant role in modifying, guiding, and shaping one’s character. Just as the West has its own perspectives and beliefs about religion, Indians have their own culture, values, traditions, and rituals associated with their religious practices. Religion is heavily dependent on the belief system of an individual, which is why I believe that religion and personality are interconnected. The impact of religion on personality is likely to create a difference in the character of an individual who follows a religion compared to one who does not. For many of us, religion serves as a guiding tool that enlightens us about certain areas of life that we might not have reflected on before.
The Role of Religion in Shaping Our Moral Principles
According to the Hindu scripture, the Ramayana, Lord Rama did everything possible to follow his parents’ commands; he even sacrificed his kingdom to honor his mother. As a king, he could have been adamant, but what was the need for that sacrifice, and how does it matter to people? It would be untrue to say that people do not set their standards according to the faith they believe in. A parent would surely desire even the slightest reflection of Lord Rama’s sacrificial nature in their children. Why? Because religion forms a pathway toward the moral principles of an individual. It has rules, rituals, expectations, and certain moral values like honesty, discipline, compassion, and respect that can indirectly impact an individual’s personality. The impact of religion on personality is seen in how it not only shapes the superego of an individual but also plays a significant role in providing a framework for reality in the life of someone surrounded by people of different religions. It teaches acceptance but, unfortunately, people with different upbringings can also develop prejudices toward certain religions, which can negatively impact their beliefs and actions toward others and make their personality appear demeaning.
One who follows the path of religion adheres to a certain set of values. These values can be interconnected with family settings, personal thoughts, social interactions, attire, and other factors such as manners, handling of situations, coping with loss, healing processes, and preferences in relationships or role models. People often associate godly behavior with their ideals or the way they want people in their inner circle to behave. Why do we do that? Because religion has the power to shape our mindset through its texts, scriptures, forms of worship, and long-lived tales. The impact of religion on personality is evident in how it instills a sense of right and wrong. When perceived correctly, religion does not blind an individual but can help them assimilate with others. However, when one becomes overly rigid in their religious beliefs, it can lead to stagnation, rigidity, and discrimination, which only serves to exclude those who do not share the same faith.
Interconnection of The Big 5 Trait Theory with an Individual’s Religious Beliefs
One of the most discussed theories of personality is the Big 5 Trait Theory by Goldberg, where he classified an individual’s traits according to the acronym “O.C.E.A.N,” representing Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. The impact of religion on personality is evident when considering how a religious person or a believer in a particular religion might score high in conscientiousness because they are morally inclined to be dutiful in whatever they do. However, their openness to experience may vary depending on how they perceive their religious beliefs. A person who strictly believes that there is only one true religion, which is the one they follow, would likely have less openness toward other religions. In contrast, a person who believes in the notion of one God might perceive God through their religion but would also consider and accept the diversity within the realm of religion.
The Impact of Religion on Our Individual Self
Religion can be firm, strict, rigid, and structured, but it can also provide autonomy to human beings to choose, understand, and follow what they want. This is why the impact of religion on personality can contribute to a person’s lifestyle, schedule, and their way of developing an optimistic or negative attitude toward how the universe treats them. An individual can be grateful for the people and opportunities around them, feeling that their belief in their religion or God has led to their blessed life. Alternatively, an individual can dwell on the sadness of not getting as much as others and begin to doubt their faith. Do both of these instances have the ability to influence a person’s dynamic characteristics? Surely they do. It can also determine whether a person leans toward a sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, or melancholic personality, or whether their belief system aligns with a Type A, B, C, or D personality.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, an individual reaches the level of self-actualization after fulfilling certain needs such as physiological needs, safety and security, love and belonging, and self-esteem. This level is often connected to the state of inner peace or moksha, where an individual is no longer affected by materialistic desires. The impact of religion on personality is also evident here, as religion aims for moksha after a certain period, though it requires deep satisfaction and sacrifice to reach this stage. It is often believed that religious individuals tend to shift or have the desire to reach this level. Therefore, an individual’s self-actualization and self-esteem, along with their belief in themselves, are also shaped by religions that have the power to reform individuals.
Conclusion
We often compare doctors and front-line workers to God. Why do we do that? Because religion helps us to manifest (“dhyana” in Hindi) and channel what we cannot fully control. Tasks like saving a human life are often connected with luck, fate, and God, which is why humans tend to unknowingly associate religion with the people around them and the way they present themselves. If personality is the steering wheel of an individual’s life, the impact of religion on personality acts like a seatbelt. When understood and interpreted correctly, religion might serve as a protective guardian for an individual.
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