Rebecca Bonhag
Biographic Data
| ID | 245020 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Rebecca Bonhag |
| GIVEN NAMES | Rebecca |
| FAMILY NAME | Bonhag |
| SIGNATURE | BONHAG R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Baylor University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1738-3020 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 20 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 13 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Family conflict and Covid ‐19: The toll of pandemic‐driven stressors
Mattering in the Pews and Beyond: How the Concept of “Mattering” May Provide Religious Practitioners and Institutions with a Deeper Understanding of Well-Being
This brief essay aims to introduce the concept of “mattering” in its relevance for both the secular and spiritual realm. I argue for the importance of this psychosocial resource for a more holistic understanding of well-being and for its relevance for religious institutions and practitioners
Deifying College: How Does Religion Dignify Those Who Face Secular Inequities
Economic inequality in the United States has left behind those without four-year college degrees. But has it cost them their dignity? Restoring dignity may depend upon other sociocultural factors that fundamentally influence how individuals valorize or sanctify their own lives. We ask whether religion – in terms of distinct facets of relationships with God – might be able to help offset some of the dignity lost to flagging material or social pros…
Fear of a Dying Planet and Fear of a Dying God: Beliefs About God and Attitudes toward Climate Change in the United States
Objective Beliefs about the nature of God have been associated with a variety of social and political attitudes in the sociological literature. This study examined how a sense of attachment to God, accountability to God, and the belief in a God who is invested in the national success of the United States—a “patriotic God”—are associated with the pressing concern of attitudes toward climate change. Methods Drawing on data from the 2021 Values and …
Prayer and Mental Well-Being in the United States: An Overview of Original and Comprehensive Prayer Data
Working Only for the Weekend? How Workplace Social Connections Impact Workers’ Sense of Mattering and Mental Health
The growing field of mattering has established that a sense that we matter is crucial to well-being and that it is informed by interactions with close others. However, few studies investigate how mattering may be shaped by our work relationships. Since many adults spend much of their time performing paid work, addressing this research gap may provide insights for enhancing employee well-being. This study uses data from the 2021 Baylor Religion Su…
The Politics of Pandemic Emotions: How Trust in the Trump Administration and Distrust of the Media Affected the Psychological Toll of Covid-19
Initial studies of the COVID-19 pandemic’s emotional toll indicated different outcomes based on partisanship and media consumption. This study builds on prior research by utilizing a broad set of measures to test how (1) political party affiliation, (2) trust in President Trump, (3) news media sources, and (4) distrust in the media’s portrayal of the pandemic impacted self-ascribed increases in negative emotions during the later stages of the pan…
Varying Beliefs in God and the Self-Concepts of Mattering and Dignity in a US Sample
The concepts of mattering and dignity have increasingly gained traction within the sociology of religion literature, as meaningful connections have been found between some measures of religiosity and these self-concept measures. Yet, questions remain regarding the connection between belief in God, religious doubts, or non-belief and the self-concept, as many prior studies presuppose religious faith or lack differentiation between different levels…
Masculine God Imagery and Sense of Life Purpose: Examining Contingencies with America's 'Four Gods
Though God imagery has been extensively studied within sociological and psychological traditions, much less attention has been paid to gendered God concepts and their connections to well-being. Previous work has suggested that God images may reflect ontological assumptions that inform interpretations of the world as well as one's place within it. We argue that the relationship between masculine God imagery and a sense of life purpose may vary by …
Does Religious Service Attendance Condition the Link between Relationship Status and Mattering to Others? Evidence From the United States during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Social mattering is the extent to which an individual feels important and valued by others. While some previous studies have assessed the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and mattering, the association between relationship status and mattering has been vastly understudied. And while sociologists of religion have recognized the importance of religiosity for mattering, this link has not been studied alongside demographic patter…
Sources of Mattering for Women and Men: Gender Differences and Similarities in Feelings of Social Significance
Social mattering refers to an individual's perceived sense of significance in the world and is a key aspect of overall mental health. Using data from a representative survey of adult Americans, we test the extent to which societal-level status, community engagement, group memberships, and interpersonal attachments affect men's and women's sense of mattering. We find that women gain social significance to the extent that they feel attached to othe…
Religion and Attitudes toward Childlessness in the United States
Attitudes toward childlessness have received little attention from social scientists even as childlessness as a family form has become more popular. One key predictor of childlessness attitudes is religious commitment, though few studies have examined this association in-depth. Using data from two recent, national datasets-the National Survey of Family Growth and the Survey of U.S. Catholics and Family Life-we assess the relationships between ind…
Mattering to God and to the Congregation: Gendered Effects in Mattering as a Mechanism Between Religiosity and Mental Health
A vast literature suggests favorable links between religiosity and mental health. Yet, the concept of 'mattering' is an underexplored concept in the sociology of religion. Using a sample of U.S. adults from the 2017 Baylor Religion Survey, we investigate whether any associations between several aspects of religiosity (worship attendance, prayer, attachment to God, and God image) and mental health may be mediated by perceptions of mattering, and w…
Mattering to God and to the Congregation: Gendered Effects in Mattering as a Mechanism Between Religiosity and Mental Health
A vast literature suggests favorable links between religiosity and mental health. Yet, the concept of 'mattering' is an underexplored concept in the sociology of religion. Using a sample of U.S. adults from the 2017 Baylor Religion Survey, we investigate whether any associations between several aspects of religiosity (worship attendance, prayer, attachment to God, and God image) and mental health may be mediated by perceptions of mattering, and w…
Sources of Mattering for Women and Men: Gender Differences and Similarities in Feelings of Social Significance
Social mattering refers to an individual's perceived sense of significance in the world and is a key aspect of overall mental health. Using data from a representative survey of adult Americans, we test the extent to which societal-level status, community engagement, group memberships, and interpersonal attachments affect men's and women's sense of mattering. We find that women gain social significance to the extent that they feel attached to othe…
Masculine God Imagery and Sense of Life Purpose: Examining Contingencies with America's 'Four Gods
Though God imagery has been extensively studied within sociological and psychological traditions, much less attention has been paid to gendered God concepts and their connections to well-being. Previous work has suggested that God images may reflect ontological assumptions that inform interpretations of the world as well as one's place within it. We argue that the relationship between masculine God imagery and a sense of life purpose may vary by …
Does Religious Service Attendance Condition the Link between Relationship Status and Mattering to Others? Evidence From the United States during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Social mattering is the extent to which an individual feels important and valued by others. While some previous studies have assessed the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and mattering, the association between relationship status and mattering has been vastly understudied. And while sociologists of religion have recognized the importance of religiosity for mattering, this link has not been studied alongside demographic patter…
Religion and Attitudes toward Childlessness in the United States
Attitudes toward childlessness have received little attention from social scientists even as childlessness as a family form has become more popular. One key predictor of childlessness attitudes is religious commitment, though few studies have examined this association in-depth. Using data from two recent, national datasets-the National Survey of Family Growth and the Survey of U.S. Catholics and Family Life-we assess the relationships between ind…
Varying Beliefs in God and the Self-Concepts of Mattering and Dignity in a US Sample
The concepts of mattering and dignity have increasingly gained traction within the sociology of religion literature, as meaningful connections have been found between some measures of religiosity and these self-concept measures. Yet, questions remain regarding the connection between belief in God, religious doubts, or non-belief and the self-concept, as many prior studies presuppose religious faith or lack differentiation between different levels…
Mattering to God and to the Congregation: Gendered Effects in Mattering as a Mechanism Between Religiosity and Mental Health
A vast literature suggests favorable links between religiosity and mental health. Yet, the concept of 'mattering' is an underexplored concept in the sociology of religion. Using a sample of U.S. adults from the 2017 Baylor Religion Survey, we investigate whether any associations between several aspects of religiosity (worship attendance, prayer, attachment to God, and God image) and mental health may be mediated by perceptions of mattering, and w…
Sources of Mattering for Women and Men: Gender Differences and Similarities in Feelings of Social Significance
Social mattering refers to an individual's perceived sense of significance in the world and is a key aspect of overall mental health. Using data from a representative survey of adult Americans, we test the extent to which societal-level status, community engagement, group memberships, and interpersonal attachments affect men's and women's sense of mattering. We find that women gain social significance to the extent that they feel attached to othe…
Religion and Attitudes toward Childlessness in the United States
Attitudes toward childlessness have received little attention from social scientists even as childlessness as a family form has become more popular. One key predictor of childlessness attitudes is religious commitment, though few studies have examined this association in-depth. Using data from two recent, national datasets-the National Survey of Family Growth and the Survey of U.S. Catholics and Family Life-we assess the relationships between ind…
Does Religious Service Attendance Condition the Link between Relationship Status and Mattering to Others? Evidence From the United States during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Social mattering is the extent to which an individual feels important and valued by others. While some previous studies have assessed the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and mattering, the association between relationship status and mattering has been vastly understudied. And while sociologists of religion have recognized the importance of religiosity for mattering, this link has not been studied alongside demographic patter…
Prayer and Mental Well-Being in the United States: An Overview of Original and Comprehensive Prayer Data
Working Only for the Weekend? How Workplace Social Connections Impact Workers’ Sense of Mattering and Mental Health
The growing field of mattering has established that a sense that we matter is crucial to well-being and that it is informed by interactions with close others. However, few studies investigate how mattering may be shaped by our work relationships. Since many adults spend much of their time performing paid work, addressing this research gap may provide insights for enhancing employee well-being. This study uses data from the 2021 Baylor Religion Su…
The Politics of Pandemic Emotions: How Trust in the Trump Administration and Distrust of the Media Affected the Psychological Toll of Covid-19
Initial studies of the COVID-19 pandemic’s emotional toll indicated different outcomes based on partisanship and media consumption. This study builds on prior research by utilizing a broad set of measures to test how (1) political party affiliation, (2) trust in President Trump, (3) news media sources, and (4) distrust in the media’s portrayal of the pandemic impacted self-ascribed increases in negative emotions during the later stages of the pan…
Varying Beliefs in God and the Self-Concepts of Mattering and Dignity in a US Sample
The concepts of mattering and dignity have increasingly gained traction within the sociology of religion literature, as meaningful connections have been found between some measures of religiosity and these self-concept measures. Yet, questions remain regarding the connection between belief in God, religious doubts, or non-belief and the self-concept, as many prior studies presuppose religious faith or lack differentiation between different levels…
Masculine God Imagery and Sense of Life Purpose: Examining Contingencies with America's 'Four Gods
Though God imagery has been extensively studied within sociological and psychological traditions, much less attention has been paid to gendered God concepts and their connections to well-being. Previous work has suggested that God images may reflect ontological assumptions that inform interpretations of the world as well as one's place within it. We argue that the relationship between masculine God imagery and a sense of life purpose may vary by …
Mattering in the Pews and Beyond: How the Concept of “Mattering” May Provide Religious Practitioners and Institutions with a Deeper Understanding of Well-Being
This brief essay aims to introduce the concept of “mattering” in its relevance for both the secular and spiritual realm. I argue for the importance of this psychosocial resource for a more holistic understanding of well-being and for its relevance for religious institutions and practitioners
Deifying College: How Does Religion Dignify Those Who Face Secular Inequities
Economic inequality in the United States has left behind those without four-year college degrees. But has it cost them their dignity? Restoring dignity may depend upon other sociocultural factors that fundamentally influence how individuals valorize or sanctify their own lives. We ask whether religion – in terms of distinct facets of relationships with God – might be able to help offset some of the dignity lost to flagging material or social pros…
Fear of a Dying Planet and Fear of a Dying God: Beliefs About God and Attitudes toward Climate Change in the United States
Objective Beliefs about the nature of God have been associated with a variety of social and political attitudes in the sociological literature. This study examined how a sense of attachment to God, accountability to God, and the belief in a God who is invested in the national success of the United States—a “patriotic God”—are associated with the pressing concern of attitudes toward climate change. Methods Drawing on data from the 2021 Values and …
Family conflict and Covid ‐19: The toll of pandemic‐driven stressors
Psychology (11 works) · Social Psychology (10 works) · Sociology (8 works) · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology (7 works) · Philosophy (6 works) · Political science (6 works) · Religion and Society Interactions (6 works) · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics (5 works) · Attendance (3 works) · Feeling (3 works)