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SACRED CHANGES ON CAMPUS: THE EFFECTS OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON RELIGIOSITY AND SPIRITUALITY, AND RESOLVING COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

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Date Issued:
2012
Abstract/Description:
Changes in religious and spiritual trends over the past few decades are contradicting previously held assumptions in academia pertaining to personal religious and spiritual definitions, identities and how these religious and spiritual identities are affected by higher educational attainment. In addition, there is limited research on how students may resolve cognitive dissonance if it develops due to discrepancies between their college experiences and their personal spiritual or religious convictions. The intent of this thesis is to explore the effects of college experience and higher educational attainment on students' religious and spiritual identities; to explore the growing trend to identify as 'spiritual, but not religious;' and to explore whether any changes in their religious and spiritual identity are as a result of adjustments spurred by cognitive dissonance. This study helps fill in gaps in current literature about the effects of higher education on religious and spiritual identity and their resolutions of cognitive dissonance.
Title: SACRED CHANGES ON CAMPUS: THE EFFECTS OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON RELIGIOSITY AND SPIRITUALITY, AND RESOLVING COGNITIVE DISSONANCE.
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Name(s): Gaulden, Shawn, Author
Gay, David, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2012
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Changes in religious and spiritual trends over the past few decades are contradicting previously held assumptions in academia pertaining to personal religious and spiritual definitions, identities and how these religious and spiritual identities are affected by higher educational attainment. In addition, there is limited research on how students may resolve cognitive dissonance if it develops due to discrepancies between their college experiences and their personal spiritual or religious convictions. The intent of this thesis is to explore the effects of college experience and higher educational attainment on students' religious and spiritual identities; to explore the growing trend to identify as 'spiritual, but not religious;' and to explore whether any changes in their religious and spiritual identity are as a result of adjustments spurred by cognitive dissonance. This study helps fill in gaps in current literature about the effects of higher education on religious and spiritual identity and their resolutions of cognitive dissonance.
Identifier: CFH0004179 (IID), ucf:44820 (fedora)
Note(s): 2012-05-01
B.A.
Sciences, Dept. of Sociology
Bachelors
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): religion
religiosity
spirituality
education
experience
cognitive
dissonance
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004179
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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