Spirituality and meaning in life
Single Wave Study
General Information
Title
Spirituality and meaning in life
Project Number
366
Abstract
This study is about religion, spirituality and meaning in life.
Longitudinal Type
Single Wave Study
Begin date
06-01-2020
End date
28-01-2020
Topics
Researcher
Pepijn van Houwelingen (Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP)); Joep de Hart (Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP))
Publisher
Centerdata
Copyright
© 2024 Centerdata
Funding Organization
Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP)
ODISSEI
OCW (Domeinplan SSH)
ODISSEI
OCW (Domeinplan SSH)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57990/qnjp-dp26
Datasets and documentation
View Documentation
Codebook in English
Codebook in Dutch
Data Files
English SPSS file
English STATA file
English CSV file
Variables
| Variable name | Variable Label | Variable Type |
|---|---|---|
| nomem_encr | Number of the household member encrypted | directly measured |
| aaf20a_m | Year and month of the field work period | directly measured |
| aaf20a001 | Were respondents presented a ‘don’t know’ category for the questions aaf20a022, aaf20a023, aaf20a054 and aaf20a055? | directly measured |
| aaf20a002 | Which questions were presented to the respondents at the end of the questionnaire? | directly measured |
| aaf20a003 | Do you see yourself as part of a church community or another faith-based community? | directly measured |
| aaf20a004 | Which church or other faith-based community is that? | directly measured |
| aaf20a005 | How often in the past six months did you [visit the [church/temple/mosque]? / convene with others to share the faith?] | directly measured |
| aaf20a006 | All things considered, how happy are you on a scale from 0 to 10? | directly measured |
| aaf20a007 | All things considered, how meaningful do you find the things you do in your life, on a scale from 0 to 10? | directly measured |
| aaf20a008 | There is a comprehensible structure to my life | directly measured |
| aaf20a009 | There is nothing special about my life | directly measured |
| aaf20a010 | I have goals in life that I try to achieve | directly measured |
| aaf20a011 | Even in a thousand years from now, it will still matter whether I existed or not | directly measured |
| aaf20a012 | I have life goals that give meaning to my life (by life goals we mean a higher goal that gives direction to your life) | directly measured |
| aaf20a013 | I have life goals for which I give up some things | directly measured |
| aaf20a014 | I know what my life is about | directly measured |
| aaf20a015 | I can meaningfully relate to the things that happen in my life | directly measured |
| aaf20a016 | I have life goals that are very important to me | directly measured |
| aaf20a017 | I understand my life | directly measured |
| aaf20a018 | It makes a difference that I once existed, even when I consider how huge the universe is | directly measured |
| aaf20a019 | The direction in my life motivates me | directly measured |
| aaf20a020 | I am certain that my life matters | directly measured |
| aaf20a021 | When I oversee my life as a whole, then it does make sense | directly measured |
| aaf20a022 | I feel the need to once in a while contemplate the meaning of my life | directly measured |
| aaf20a023 | The meaning of your own life is a topic that doesn’t really interest me | directly measured |
| aaf20a024 | The state must not financially support church parishes. | directly measured |
| aaf20a025 | The state must not financially support mosques. | directly measured |
| aaf20a026 | The state must not financially support church communities. | directly measured |
| aaf20a027 | The state must not financially support parishes, mosques or church communities. | directly measured |
| aaf20a028 | The state must guarantee that every place in the country keeps at least one church building where people can convene. | directly measured |
| aaf20a029 | It would be a good thing if churches ceased to exist | directly measured |
| aaf20a030 | If no one believes in God anymore, then morality is in danger | directly measured |
| aaf20a031 | If the churches cease to exist, egoism will have free rein | directly measured |
| aaf20a032 | Faith in God prevents society from decaying | directly measured |
| aaf20a033 | Without churches,...there would be fewer people willing to do voluntary work for others | directly measured |
| aaf20a034 | Without churches,...there would be fewer people with outdated opinions | directly measured |
| aaf20a035 | Without churches,...many people would no longer know whether life has any meaning | directly measured |
| aaf20a036 | Without churches,...people would really start to change society instead of waiting for a better life after death | directly measured |
| aaf20a037 | Without churches,...the more vulnerable groups in society would be left to look after themselves | directly measured |
| aaf20a038 | Without churches,...there would be fewer conflicts | directly measured |
| aaf20a039 | Which statement MOST resembles your opinion about God? | directly measured |
| aaf20a040 | Do you feel an affinity with the following religious and other worldview traditions? Christianity | directly measured |
| aaf20a041 | Do you feel an affinity with the following religious and other worldview traditions? Islam | directly measured |
| aaf20a042 | Do you feel an affinity with the following religious and other worldview traditions? Hinduism | directly measured |
| aaf20a043 | Do you feel an affinity with the following religious and other worldview traditions? Buddhism | directly measured |
| aaf20a044 | Do you feel an affinity with the following religious and other worldview traditions? Judaism | directly measured |
| aaf20a045 | Do you feel an affinity with the following religious and other worldview traditions? Humanism | directly measured |
| aaf20a046 | Do you feel a further affinity with one or more other religious or worldview traditions, and if so, which one or which ones? | directly measured |
| aaf20a047 | Do you ever go to a certain place in order to reflect on everything you do? | directly measured |
| aaf20a048 | Have you ever participated in a course, training, workshop or contemplative weekend, with a focus on spirituality or the deeper meaning of life? | directly measured |
| aaf20a049 | Do you ever light a candle for something or someone? | directly measured |
| aaf20a050 | Do you have a ‘sacred’ spot at home, like a home altar or meditation spot? | directly measured |
| aaf20a051 | Do you practice or have you practiced yoga in recent years? | directly measured |
| aaf20a052 | Do you practice or have you practiced meditation in recent years? | directly measured |
| aaf20a053 | Have you ever visited a spiritual or paranormal fair? | directly measured |
| aaf20a054 | Are you...spiritually inclined? | directly measured |
| aaf20a055 | Are you...religiously inclined? | directly measured |
| aaf20a056 | Please briefly describe [your spirituality/your religious faith/your religious faith or your spirituality]? | directly measured |
| aaf20a057 | Certain numbers or objects bring good fortune (e.g. the number seven, a necklace, a stone, a photograph) | directly measured |
| aaf20a058 | Some clairvoyants truly can tell the future | directly measured |
| aaf20a059 | A person’s star sign at birth or someone’s horoscope can influence the course of his/her future | directly measured |
| aaf20a060 | It is possible to communicate with the dead via a medium | directly measured |
| aaf20a061 | To what extent do you find it important to: strive to develop your higher or deeper Self? | directly measured |
| aaf20a062 | To what extent do you find it important to: try to recover your divine origin? | directly measured |
| aaf20a063 | To what extent do you find it important to: work on expanding your consciousness? | directly measured |
| aaf20a064 | To what extent do you find it important to: strive to become more intuitive and sensitive? | directly measured |
| aaf20a065 | To what extent do you find it important to: seek a balance between body and spirit? | directly measured |
| aaf20a066 | To what extent do you find it important to: discover and develop your hidden talents? | directly measured |
| aaf20a067 | There is a power or life energy that binds us all together. | directly measured |
| aaf20a068 | We are all part of a greater consciousness. | directly measured |
| aaf20a069 | Everything is energy. | directly measured |
| aaf20a070 | Everything is connected to everything else. | directly measured |
| aaf20a071 | All answers can be found within yourself. | directly measured |
| aaf20a072 | You must rely on your inner voice. | directly measured |
| aaf20a073 | It is important to pursue self-knowledge. | directly measured |
| aaf20a074 | Self-knowledge is knowledge of God/the divine. | directly measured |
| aaf20a075 | Personal insight, based on inner experience, is the only thing you should listen to. | directly measured |
| aaf20a076 | Each one of us has a unique role to play on this earth. | directly measured |
| aaf20a077 | It is good to experiment with teachings and practices based on different traditions, to see what works best for you. | directly measured |
| aaf20a078 | There are many sources of wisdom for us to draw on. | directly measured |
| aaf20a079 | You can combine different teachings and practices to create what suits you best. | directly measured |
| aaf20a080 | There are many roads to wisdom, but they all spring from the same eternal source. | directly measured |
| aaf20a081 | I am never entirely sure about the truth that I adhere to. | directly measured |
| aaf20a082 | Every insight you gain is provisional. | directly measured |
| aaf20a083 | In my experience, questions play a more important role than answers. | directly measured |
| aaf20a084 | I feel that it is very important to continue seeking after deeper insights. | directly measured |
| aaf20a085 | Doubts and uncertainties are often very important to me as well. | directly measured |
| aaf20a086 | The experience of a personal crisis contributes importantly to gaining deeper insights and ideas. | directly measured |
| aaf20a087 | I experience an inner power. | directly measured |
| aaf20a088 | I experience my life as valuable. | directly measured |
| aaf20a089 | My life has a purpose. | directly measured |
| aaf20a090 | I feel connected with other people, even if they are very different from me. | directly measured |
| aaf20a091 | I feel connected with all life around me. | directly measured |
| aaf20a092 | I feel a strong connection with nature. | directly measured |
| aaf20a093 | When in nature, I reconnect with deeper layers in myself. | directly measured |
| aaf20a094 | I have the most intense experiences in nature. | directly measured |
| aaf20a095 | An experience of the presence of God/the divine/a higher power. | directly measured |
| aaf20a096 | An experience of connectedness with God/the divine/a higher power. | directly measured |
| aaf20a097 | An experience of connectedness with a universal power. | directly measured |
| aaf20a098 | An experience where I seemed to be drawn into a force or power greater than myself. | directly measured |
| aaf20a099 | A confluence of events in my life that gave me the feeling: this cannot be just coincidence. | directly measured |
| aaf20a100 | An experience of receiving help in answer to my prayer. | directly measured |
| aaf20a101 | An experience in which the nature of reality became clear to me. | directly measured |
| aaf20a102 | An experience in which all things appeared to be part of a greater whole. | directly measured |
| aaf20a103 | An experience in which everything seemed perfect. | directly measured |
| aaf20a104 | Have you started thinking differently about the meaning or significance of your life, over the course of your life? | directly measured |
| aaf20a105 | Could you briefly explain your answer? And if you did start thinking differently about this, can you describe the reason or cause of that? | directly measured |
| aaf20a106 | Finally, can you explain what you associate with the word ‘spirituality’? | directly measured |
| aaf20a107 | Do you think that a meaningful life is the same as a happy life ? | directly measured |
| aaf20a108 | Could you briefly explain your answer? | directly measured |
| aaf20a109 | Finally, can you describe what gives meaning or significance to your life? | directly measured |
| aaf20a110 | Do you think life is worth living? | directly measured |
| aaf20a111 | Could you briefly explain your answer? | directly measured |
| aaf20a112 | Finally, how do attribute meaning to a severe setback in your life, such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness or grave injustice? | directly measured |
| aaf20a113 | The researchers would like to talk further with people about faith and meaning in life. Would you be willing to be interviewed about this topic? | directly measured |
| aaf20a114 | Was it difficult to answer the questions? | directly measured |
| aaf20a115 | Were the questions sufficiently clear? | directly measured |
| aaf20a116 | Did the questionnaire get you thinking about things? | directly measured |
| aaf20a117 | Was it an interesting subject? | directly measured |
| aaf20a118 | Did you enjoy answering the questions? | directly measured |
| aaf20a119 | Starting date questionnaire | directly measured |
| aaf20a120 | Starting time questionnaire | directly measured |
| aaf20a121 | End date questionnaire | directly measured |
| aaf20a122 | End time questionnaire | directly measured |
| aaf20a123 | Duration in seconds | directly measured |
Questions
The metadata for the questions in this study have not yet been published.
Response Information
Response Overview
Selected number of household members: 5,542 (100.0%)Non-response: 1,298 (23.4%)
Response: 4,245 (76.6%)
Complete: 4,193 (75.7%)
Incomplete: 52 (0.9%)
Collection Events
Period
06-01-2020 to 28-01-2020
Sample
Random sample of panel members aged 16 years and older.
Collection Mode
internet survey
Fieldwork Note
A reminder was sent twice to non-respondents.