Spilka's Impact on the Psychological Study of the Concepts of God

Abstract

Spilka, Amatas, and Nussbaum published “The Concept of God: A Factor-Analytic Approach” in 1964. As each decade has passed it has been cited more frequently. The measurement technique has been adaptable to numerous situations and topics. The literature citing this work ranges from studies of how groups differ in conceptualization of God to studies of developmental issues to psychological adjustment, with significant and meaningful correlations in every area. The research growing from this seminal article reinforces the rationale that concepts of God are of central importance to the study of how religion develops and how it impacts people.

Notes

¹As this article is less oriented to conclusions about God concepts and more toward the importance of this line of work, details of the God concept factors and how they relate to other variables are only referenced in this article. For past conclusions and future applicability, please check the tables for references.