Unaffiliated spirituality and social engagement
Single Wave Study
General Information
Title
Unaffiliated spirituality and social engagement
Project Number
32
Abstract
The main objectives of this survey are;
1. to investigate the conceptions and associations of ‘spirituality’ amongst the Dutch population;
2. to find out if there are types or aspects of unaffiliated spirituality that are related to different degrees of social engagement;
3. and to test findings from qualitative research about unaffiliated spirituality (and social engagement) in a quantitative way.
1. to investigate the conceptions and associations of ‘spirituality’ amongst the Dutch population;
2. to find out if there are types or aspects of unaffiliated spirituality that are related to different degrees of social engagement;
3. and to test findings from qualitative research about unaffiliated spirituality (and social engagement) in a quantitative way.
Longitudinal Type
Single Wave Study
Topics
Researcher
Joantine Berghuijs (Utrecht University)
Publisher
CentERdata
Copyright
© 2009 CentERdata
DOI
https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-25q-xse2
Funding Organization
CentERdata/MESS Project
Datasets and documentation
View Documentation
Codebook in English
Codebook in Dutch
Data Files
English SPSS file
English STATA file
Variables
| Variable name | Variable Label | Variable Type |
|---|---|---|
| nomem_encr | Number of household member encrypted | preloaded |
| bh09a_m | Month and year of field work | constructed |
| bh09a001 | performed voluntary work for an organization for humanitarian aid, human rights, minorities, or migrants | preloaded |
| bh09a002 | performed voluntary work for an organization for environmental protection, peace, or animal rights | preloaded |
| bh09a003 | relationship to person receiving informal care | preloaded |
| bh09a004 | My own happiness strongly depends on the happiness of the people around me. | directly measured |
| bh09a005 | I am willing to do my family members a favor, even if it involves something that I personally detest. | directly measured |
| bh09a006 | I generally sacrifice my own interest for the interests of the group to which I belong. | directly measured |
| bh09a007 | I enjoy situations in which I can compete with others. | directly measured |
| bh09a008 | I care deeply about the well-being of my colleagues. | directly measured |
| bh09a009 | I like being unique and differing from others on many counts. | directly measured |
| bh09a010 | Children should feel honored if their parents are awarded an important distinction. | directly measured |
| bh09a011 | I often do ‘my own thing’. | directly measured |
| bh09a012 | Competition is the natural way of the world. | directly measured |
| bh09a013 | If a colleague were to win a prize, I would feel proud. | directly measured |
| bh09a014 | I am a unique individual. | directly measured |
| bh09a015 | I would give up doing something that I enjoy if my family members were to disapprove of it. | directly measured |
| bh09a016 | You can’t have a healthy society without competition. | directly measured |
| bh09a017 | I feel good when working together with others. | directly measured |
| bh09a018 | I don’t feel very involved with people living on the other side of the globe. | directly measured |
| bh09a019 | I find it hard to donate to goals that do not benefit me. | directly measured |
| bh09a020 | Society is under threat because people are increasingly indifferent to each other. | directly measured |
| bh09a021 | The earth’s climate problem is grossly exaggerated. | directly measured |
| bh09a022 | The world needs responsible citizens. | directly measured |
| bh09a023 | I often think: ‘Live today, worry tomorrow’. | directly measured |
| bh09a024 | I donate to social goals, regardless of what the government or corporate sector does. | directly measured |
| bh09a025 | People constitute a community. | directly measured |
| bh09a026 | We must pass the world on to the next generation in a good state. | directly measured |
| bh09a027 | I do not feel responsible for the well-being of society. | directly measured |
| bh09a028 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To be appreciated | directly measured |
| bh09a029 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To treat others more lovingly | directly measured |
| bh09a030 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To develop skills | directly measured |
| bh09a031 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To improve my CV | directly measured |
| bh09a032 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To let go of my ego | directly measured |
| bh09a033 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To meet like-minded people | directly measured |
| bh09a034 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To meet friends or acquaintances | directly measured |
| bh09a035 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To acquire useful contacts | directly measured |
| bh09a036 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To receive (a small) remuneration | directly measured |
| bh09a037 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - Devotion to God / a higher power | directly measured |
| bh09a038 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - Devotion to a universal force | directly measured |
| bh09a039 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - To contribute to improving society | directly measured |
| bh09a040 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - No special reason | directly measured |
| bh09a041 | For what reason or purpose do or did you engage in these activities? - Other | directly measured |
| bh09a042 | What other reason or goal do you mean? | directly measured |
| bh09a043 | What do you take spirituality to mean? | directly measured |
| bh09a044 | I am spiritually inclined. | directly measured |
| bh09a045 | I am religiously inclined. | directly measured |
| bh09a046 | I consider myself part of a religious, spiritual or life-philosophy group. | directly measured |
| bh09a047 | I am actively involved with a religious, spiritual or life-philosophy organization. | directly measured |
| bh09a048 | Do you regularly visit (once in 2 months or more frequently) a religious or spiritual gathering? | directly measured |
| bh09a049 | Did you participate in any course or workshop regarding religion or spirituality, in the last 12 months? | directly measured |
| bh09a050 | Do you personally give courses or workshops regarding religion or spirituality? | directly measured |
| bh09a051 | Are you involved in any discussion group about religious or spiritual topics? | directly measured |
| bh09a052 | Are you active in any Internet forum about religious or spiritual topics? | directly measured |
| bh09a053 | Are your best friends religiously or spiritually inclined? | directly measured |
| bh09a054 | To what extent do you find it important to strive to develop your higher or deeper Self? | directly measured |
| bh09a055 | To what extent do you find it important to strive to try to rediscover your divine origin? | directly measured |
| bh09a056 | To what extent do you find it important to strive to work on expanding your consciousness? | directly measured |
| bh09a057 | To what extent do you find it important to strive to seek to become more intuitive and sensitive? | directly measured |
| bh09a058 | To what extent do you find it important to strive to seek a balance between body and spirit? | directly measured |
| bh09a059 | To what extent do you find it important to strive to discover and develop your hidden talents? | directly measured |
| bh09a060 | There is a power or vital energy that binds us all together. | directly measured |
| bh09a061 | We are all part of a larger consciousness. | directly measured |
| bh09a062 | Everything is energy. | directly measured |
| bh09a063 | Everything is connected with everything. | directly measured |
| bh09a064 | All answers can be found within yourself. | directly measured |
| bh09a065 | You should rely on your inner voice. | directly measured |
| bh09a066 | It is important to pursue self-knowledge. | directly measured |
| bh09a067 | Self-knowledge is knowledge of God/the divine. | directly measured |
| bh09a068 | Personal insight, based on inner experience, is the only thing you should listen to. | directly measured |
| bh09a069 | Each one of us has a unique role to fulfill on this earth. | directly measured |
| bh09a070 | It is good to experiment with the wisdom and practices handed down by different traditions, to see what works best for you. | directly measured |
| bh09a071 | There are many sources of wisdom on which we can draw. | directly measured |
| bh09a072 | You can combine different truths and practices to create what suits you best. | directly measured |
| bh09a073 | There are many paths of wisdom, but they all radiate from the same eternal source. | directly measured |
| bh09a074 | Each of us has his or her own truth. | directly measured |
| bh09a075 | All truths are relative. | directly measured |
| bh09a076 | You should not argue about other people’s truths. | directly measured |
| bh09a077 | I am never entirely sure about the truth that I believe in. | directly measured |
| bh09a078 | Every acquired insight is provisional. | directly measured |
| bh09a079 | In my experience, questions play a more significant role than answers. | directly measured |
| bh09a080 | I feel that it is very important to continue to seek deeper insights. | directly measured |
| bh09a081 | Doubts and uncertainties are often very valuable to me. | directly measured |
| bh09a082 | The experience of a personal crisis contributes significantly to my obtaining deeper insights and ideas. | directly measured |
| bh09a083 | In our daily life, we should be more aware of nature’s cycles. | directly measured |
| bh09a084 | I feel attracted to forms of nature worship. | directly measured |
| bh09a085 | Magical rituals can bring you into contact with the Goddess. | directly measured |
| bh09a086 | I feel attracted to wicca, druidism, or shamanism. | directly measured |
| bh09a087 | Today we are on the threshold of a new era. | directly measured |
| bh09a088 | Mankind is currently undergoing a profound change in consciousness. | directly measured |
| bh09a089 | Major changes await us, since we are entering the age of Aquarius. | directly measured |
| bh09a090 | The past is not as important as the present. | directly measured |
| bh09a091 | There is no point in trying to predict the future. | directly measured |
| bh09a092 | I do not have any special notions about the future. | directly measured |
| bh09a093 | The point is to live as well as you can in the here-and-now. | directly measured |
| bh09a094 | Living well first of all means living mindfully. | directly measured |
| bh09a095 | I do not attach much importance to this life and this world. | directly measured |
| bh09a096 | I am mainly concerned with the hereafter (life after death). | directly measured |
| bh09a097 | I am mainly concerned with my development through successive lives (reincarnation). | directly measured |
| bh09a098 | I am mainly concerned with attaining a different level of consciousness. | directly measured |
| bh09a099 | Churches present a wrong image of Jesus. | directly measured |
| bh09a100 | Jesus made secret knowledge public. | directly measured |
| bh09a101 | It is not important whether Jesus really did rise from the dead. | directly measured |
| bh09a102 | We must seek the birth of Christ within ourselves. | directly measured |
| bh09a103 | I am convinced of the medicinal power of gems and crystals. | directly measured |
| bh09a104 | I am convinced of the effectiveness of reiki. | directly measured |
| bh09a105 | I am convinced that it is possible to retrieve memories of a former life. | directly measured |
| bh09a106 | I am convinced of the existence of chakras (invisible energy centers in our body). | directly measured |
| bh09a107 | I am convinced that astrology and horoscopes can provide us with valuable insights. | directly measured |
| bh09a108 | I am convinced that laying Tarot cards can provide us with valuable insights. | directly measured |
| bh09a109 | I am convinced that angels exist, or other invisible creatures that can help us. | directly measured |
| bh09a110 | I am convinced that it is possible to contact people that have died. | directly measured |
| bh09a111 | Which statement most resembles your own conviction? | directly measured |
| bh09a112 | One or more of these beliefs have an impact on my daily life. | directly measured |
| bh09a113 | One or more of these beliefs have an impact on important decisions I must make. | directly measured |
| bh09a114 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through my parents/guardians | directly measured |
| bh09a115 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through my teachers | directly measured |
| bh09a116 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through inspiring leaders | directly measured |
| bh09a117 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through friends | directly measured |
| bh09a118 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through clairvoyants/mediums | directly measured |
| bh09a119 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through books/magazines/newspapers | directly measured |
| bh09a120 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through Internet | directly measured |
| bh09a121 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - through television programs | directly measured |
| bh09a122 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - by personal discovery through inner experiences | directly measured |
| bh09a123 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - by personal discovery in nature | directly measured |
| bh09a124 | How did you acquire these beliefs about the meaning of life? - other | directly measured |
| bh09a125 | In what other way did you acquire those beliefs? | directly measured |
| bh09a126 | I experience an inner force. | directly measured |
| bh09a127 | I experience my life as valuable. | directly measured |
| bh09a128 | My life has a purpose. | directly measured |
| bh09a129 | I feel connected to other people, even if they are very different to me. | directly measured |
| bh09a130 | I experience connectedness with all life around me. | directly measured |
| bh09a131 | I feel strongly connected to nature. | directly measured |
| bh09a132 | Nature helps me connect to deeper dimensions within myself. | directly measured |
| bh09a133 | I have my most intense experiences in nature. | directly measured |
| bh09a134 | An experience concerning the presence of God / the divine / a higher power. | directly measured |
| bh09a135 | A sense of connectedness to God / the divine / a higher power. | directly measured |
| bh09a136 | A sense of connectedness with a universal force. | directly measured |
| bh09a137 | An experience in which I seemed to become part of a power or force greater than myself. | directly measured |
| bh09a138 | A concurrence of events in my life which made me feel: this cannot be a coincidence. | directly measured |
| bh09a139 | An experience of receiving help in response to my prayer. | directly measured |
| bh09a140 | An experience in which the nature of reality became clear to me. | directly measured |
| bh09a141 | An experience in which all things seemed part of a larger whole. | directly measured |
| bh09a142 | An experience in which everything seemed perfect. | directly measured |
| bh09a143 | An experience of being outside my own body. | directly measured |
| bh09a144 | Seeing a dead person or another experience of contact with a dead person. | directly measured |
| bh09a145 | A recollection of a former life. | directly measured |
| bh09a146 | A contact with a ‘guide’ or inner voice. | directly measured |
| bh09a147 | An experience of an invisible power that, in one way or another, offered me council, advice or guidance. | directly measured |
| bh09a148 | One or more of these experiences have an impact on my daily life. | directly measured |
| bh09a149 | One or more of these experiences have an impact on important decisions I must make. | directly measured |
| bh09a150 | Yoga | directly measured |
| bh09a151 | Tai Chi | directly measured |
| bh09a152 | Meditation | directly measured |
| bh09a153 | Prayer | directly measured |
| bh09a154 | Breathing exercises | directly measured |
| bh09a155 | Acupuncture | directly measured |
| bh09a156 | Reiki | directly measured |
| bh09a157 | How much time do you spend on average per week on practicing these activities, all combined? - number of hours | directly measured |
| bh09a158 | How much time do you spend on average per week on practicing these activities, all combined? - number of minutes | directly measured |
| bh09a159 | Dream interpretation | directly measured |
| bh09a160 | Consulting Tarot cards | directly measured |
| bh09a161 | Consulting the I Ching | directly measured |
| bh09a162 | Consulting your horoscope | directly measured |
| bh09a163 | Visiting a fortune-teller | directly measured |
| bh09a164 | Visiting a medium | directly measured |
| bh09a165 | Visiting a paranormal fair | directly measured |
| bh09a166 | How much time do you spend on average per week on practicing these activities, all combined? - number of hours | directly measured |
| bh09a167 | How much time do you spend on average per week on practicing these activities, all combined? - number of minutes | directly measured |
| bh09a168 | One or more of these activities have an impact on my daily life. | directly measured |
| bh09a169 | One or more of these activities have an impact on important decisions I must make. | directly measured |
| bh09a170 | For what reason or purpose do you practice these activities? - To improve my health | directly measured |
| bh09a171 | To work on relationship issues | directly measured |
| bh09a172 | To find rest and relaxation | directly measured |
| bh09a173 | To acquire special experiences | directly measured |
| bh09a174 | To develop special powers | directly measured |
| bh09a175 | To meet like-minded people | directly measured |
| bh09a176 | To find out who I truly am | directly measured |
| bh09a177 | To give direction to my life | directly measured |
| bh09a178 | To learn to deal more effectively with problems in my life | directly measured |
| bh09a179 | To learn to treat others more lovingly | directly measured |
| bh09a180 | To develop life wisdom | directly measured |
| bh09a181 | To surrender my ego | directly measured |
| bh09a182 | To function better in society | directly measured |
| bh09a183 | Devotion to God / a higher power | directly measured |
| bh09a184 | Devotion to a universal force | directly measured |
| bh09a185 | To contribute to improving society | directly measured |
| bh09a186 | Other reason | directly measured |
| bh09a187 | What other reason do you mean? | directly measured |
| bh09a188 | I am involved with one or more nature or environment organizations. | directly measured |
| bh09a189 | I donate money to one or more nature or environment organizations. | directly measured |
| bh09a190 | I try to restrict my use of packaging materials. | directly measured |
| bh09a191 | I prefer to buy foodstuffs produced in the Netherlands. | directly measured |
| bh09a192 | I am a vegetarian on account of environmental considerations. | directly measured |
| bh09a193 | I have introduced energy-efficient modifications in my home on account of environmental considerations. | directly measured |
| bh09a194 | I do not travel by air on account of environmental considerations. | directly measured |
| bh09a195 | I do not own a car on account of environmental considerations. | directly measured |
| bh09a196 | Happinez | directly measured |
| bh09a197 | Onkruid | directly measured |
| bh09a198 | ParaVisie | directly measured |
| bh09a199 | Bres | directly measured |
| bh09a200 | Can you name a book that has been of particular help in finding your way through life? - author | directly measured |
| bh09a201 | Can you name a book that has been of particular help in finding your way through life? - title | directly measured |
| bh09a202 | Has completing this questionnaire influenced your ideas about spirituality? | directly measured |
| bh09a203 | Was it difficult to answer the questions? | directly measured |
| bh09a204 | Were the questions sufficiently clear? | directly measured |
| bh09a205 | Did the questionnaire get you thinking about things? | directly measured |
| bh09a206 | Was it an interesting subject? | directly measured |
| bh09a207 | Did you enjoy answering the questions? | directly measured |
| bh09a208 | Starting date questionnaire | constructed |
| bh09a209 | Starting time questionnaire | constructed |
| bh09a210 | End date questionnaire | constructed |
| bh09a211 | End time questionnaire | constructed |
| bh09a212 | duration in seconds | derived |
Response Information
Response Overview
Response:Selected number of household members: 4.402 (100%)Non-response: 1.780 (40.4%)
Actual response: 2.622 (59.6%)
Complete: 2.590
Incomplete: 32
Collection Events
Period
05-10-2009 to 28-10-2009
Sample
Random sample of 4.402 panel members
Collection Mode
internet survey
Fieldwork Note
a reminder was twice sent to non-respondents by e-mail
Publications
Berghuijs, J. (2016). Nieuwe Spiritualiteit en Sociale Betrokkenheid. Psyche & Geloof, 27(1), pp. 11-29.
Berghuijs, J. (2014). New Spirituality and Social Engagement. PhD thesis, Utrecht University, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies (Quaestiones Infinitae, 79).
Berghuijs, J. (2014). Nieuwe Spiritualiteit en Sociale Betrokkenheid. Religie en Samenleving, 9 (3), pp. 181-210.
Berghuijs, J.
et al. (2013). Conceptions of Spirituality among the Dutch Population. Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 35(3), pp. 369-398.
Berghuijs, J.
et al. (2013). Being 'Spiritual' and Being 'Religious' in Europe: Diverging Life Orientations. Journal of Contemporary Religion 28(1), pp. 15-32.
Berghuijs, J
et al. (2013). New Spirituality and Social Engagement. Journal of Scientific Study of Religion, 52(4), pp. 775-792.
Massop, M. (2021). Naturally, gas free: Using socio-demographic data to optimize civic-engagement in the Dutch heat transition . Utrecht University.
de Hart, J.,
et al. (2022). Religie in een pluriforme samenleving. Sociaal Cultureel Planbureau, August 2022.