A Rapid Review of the Interrelations Between Spirituality, Self-Transcendence, and Prosociality
Pastoral Psychology May 18, 2026 Robin Weber, Smita Singh, Joanna Barlas et al.
Spirituality outside religious frameworks is increasingly common worldwide and has been linked to positive personal and social effects through self-transcendence. This rapid review of 53 studies finds a consistent association between self-transcendence and prosocial behavior across various ages and cultures. However, the relationship between spirituality itself and these variables remains unclear due to many different definitions and measurement tools. Consensus on assessing spirituality is lacking because most research uses cross-sectional methods and samples from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries. The review also notes that prosocial behavior and its drivers positively impact well-being.