What is it about?
This study looked at how young adults from eight different cultures thought about religion and time during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compared data from before and during the pandemic using questionnaires and a simple task. We found that during the pandemic, young adults reported lower levels of religiosity and focused more on the future. These patterns were seen across cultures with different religious backgrounds.
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Why is it important?
This study provides a cross-cultural perspective on how young adults engaged with religiosity, values, and time during the pandemic. The findings may shed light on how younger generations navigate coping in times of crisis globally.
Perspectives
Writing this article was both a challenge and a meaningful experience. Coordinating researchers from five countries to collect data within a short window —during pandemic lockdowns and widespread uncertainty—required flexibility, trust, and strong collaboration. I’m grateful to have worked with such a committed and generous team. It also deepened my appreciation for how cross-cultural research can bring shared questions to life through local perspectives, even in times of instability.
Carmen Callizo
Universidad de Navarra
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Deus ex machina: The COVID-19 pandemic and young adults’ religiosity, temporal values, and time spatialization across cultures., Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, April 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/rel0000557.
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