Beyond the West: Religion, conformity, and subjective well-being in contemporary Chinese society.

摘要

Ongoing revival of religion in Chinese society provides a rare opportunity for testing controversial sociological theories in a non-Western, non-Christian context. The goal of my dissertation is to examine the complex links between religion, social conformity, and subjective well-being, using nationally representative data sets from mainland China and Taiwan.;This dissertation divides into six chapters. Chapter 1 reviews the core theoretical debates in the sociology of religion and religious trends in Chinese society. Chapter 2 investigates whether Chinese persons with greater risk-taking tendency are less religious relative to others. Chapter 3 focuses on the relationships between religiosity and personal feelings of mastery. Chapter 4 analyzes the associations between multidimensional religious involvement and personal happiness. Chapter 5 examines the linkages of fatalistic voluntarism, a core component of theological fatalism, and life satisfaction. Chapter 6 summarizes the findings, discusses their implications, and suggests a future research agenda.;As will be shown, my findings generally support the rational choice perspectives, the new paradigm in the sociology. In Taiwan's overwhelmingly religious atmosphere, for instance, risk preference seems to be a significant correlate of active religiousness. Moreover, religious beliefs and practices are generally beneficial for personal mastery and subjective well-being among the Chinese. This dissertation speaks directly to the central theoretical issues in the sociology of religion, fills the void in previous research, and stimulates future cross-cultural studies on religion, social conformity, and mental health.