Content Analysis of Spiritual Life in Contemporary USA, India, and China
Religions June 12, 2020 Elsa Lau, Clayton H. Mcclintock, Marianna Graziosi et al.
Spirituality is lived differently across the United States, India, and China, though certain themes appear universally. Analyzing responses from 6,112 participants (41% women, mean age 29, range 18–75) and focusing on a subset of 900, the study identified five major thematic categories: religion, contemplative practice, ancestors, the natural world, and metaphysical phenomena. The metaphysical category included extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, survival-related experiences (near-death and out-of-body experiences, apparitions), and faith or energy healing. Cultural context shapes both the prevalence and specific forms these spiritual experiences take.