Young adults in relationships and singles: religiosity and the structure of values

ABSTRACT

The study aims to investigate the differences concerning the religiosity (understood as the placement of religious constructs in the structure of a personality) and value system of young adults who are married, people in non-formalized relationships, and singles. The participants of the study were 321 women and 302 men aged 22 to 42 (45% singles, 55% in relationships). The results of the research prove significant differences regarding the religiosity and preferred values between married people and those living in informal relationships. There are more differences between these groups than between singles and those living in marital and informal relationships. Consequently, it seems important to differentiate between formalized and non-formalized relationships.

KEYWORDS:

• Young adults
• religiosity
• values
• close relationships
• singles

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dorota Czyżowska

Dorota Czyżowska is an AssociateProfessor in the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. Her research interests include: adolescent and adult development with particular emphasis on social and moral development, moral education and intimate relationships.

Ewa Gurba

Ewa Gurba is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. Her research interests include: development of adolescents and adults, processes to stimulate growth, parents-adolescents relationships.

Arkadiusz Białek

Arkadiusz Białek is an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. His research interests include: early stages of development of social cognition and communication; joint action and cultural developmental psychology.

Natalia Czyżowska

Natalia Czyżowska is a PhD student the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University and a research-and-teaching assistant in the Institute of Psychology at the Pedagogical University, Kraków, Poland. Her research interests concentrate on: palliative and hospice care, meaning in life, morality, emerging adulthood and young adults.

Alicja Kalus

Alicja Kalus is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Psychology at the University of Opole, Opole, Poland. Her research interests include: family psychology, childlessness, inferility and adoption, human development in the context of family.