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Self in Social Cognition:
How attachment to God (or God representation) impacts view of self
Rémy Roe
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
PSYC812: Social Cognitive Development
Dr. Margaret Gopaul
October 09, 2022
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Abstract
Attachment theory has had a significant influence on the study of developmental psychology. A
gap in the current literature exists in understanding how Christian theology interacts with the
empiric study of attachment theory. A scriptural parallel to the basic tenets of attachment theory
can be found in the grand narrative according to a Christian worldview. Therefore, to view the
grand narrative through the lens of attachment theory enables secular and Christian counsellors
to better identify and treat dysfunctional attachment to God (or God representation) to improve
mental health. The present research seeks to discuss social cognition in psychology, review the
current literature concerning attachment and religion/religiosity, and identify scriptural parallels
to attachment theory through the lens of the grand narrative. Finally, discussion will center
around how attachment to God (or God representation) impacts view of self.
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Self in Social Cognition: How attachment to God (or God representation) impacts view of
self
Attachment theory has had a significant influence on the study of developmental
psychology since the work of John Bowlby in the 1940’s (Bowlby & Ainsworth, 2013).
According to contemporary attachment theory, four tenets (secure base, exploration, attachment
behaviors, and safe haven) comprise what is typically referred to as the “circle of attachment”
(Zeanah et al., 2011). In the Christian tradition, attachment to God is a recurring and significant
theme. Since the work of Kirkpatrick and Shaver (1990), the circle of attachment has been
frequently applied to the psychology of religion. This is due in part to an attempt to correlate
attachment to God to attachment in the parent-child relationship.
A gap in the current literature exists in understanding how Christian theology interacts
with the empiric study of attachment theory. One way to parallel scripture with attachment
theory is via the grand narrative as described by Wolters (2005): creation, fall, redemption, and
restoration. The present research seeks to discuss social cognition in psychology, review the
current literature concerning attachment and religion/religiosity, and identify scriptural parallels
to attachment theory through the lens of the grand narrative. Finally, conclusions will be drawn
concerning how attachment to God (or God representation) impacts view of self.
Cognition in Psychology
Cognition in psychology saw its origins in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, that it saw a
decline with the rise of behaviorism in the 20th century, and that a cognitive revolution occurred
in the mid 1950’s. The term cognition evolved from what was formerly referred to as
information processing, which was strongly influenced in the 1940s by developments in the field
of computing (Frith, 2008, p.2033). Landmark research on the topic includes Gibson (1950) and
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space perception, Hilgard (1951) and the role of learning in perception, and Attneave (1956) and
shape/pattern perception
The 1990s was an era that unveiled the critical roles of neural systems in many human
processes, including social ones. For example, this was when the introduction of functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques led to the ability to observe the brain at work.
Neuroscience techniques that begun to be widely used in social cognition, included (and still
include) neuropsychology, hormone levels, immune functioning, and genetic analyses (Fiske &
Taylor, 2021).
Defining Social Cognition
Social cognition is most simply described as how people make sense of other people and
themselves. Studying social cognition means to seek to understand how individuals process and
intrinsically represent information about other people, themselves, and socially constructed
events (Fiske & Taylor, 2021). Frith (2008) defines the goal of social cognition being to “provide
mechanistic, process-oriented explanations of complex social phenomena” (p. 2033). Hamilton
(2005) asserts that social cognition focuses on how individuals process, store, retrieve, and use
information received from their social world. What all this research agrees upon is that the study
of social cognition, at the most basic level, requires a perceiver and a perceived (which must be
distinguished as either a person or thing).
Defining the Self
Self-concept is most simply defined as the accumulation of beliefs about ourselves (Fiske
& Taylor, 2021). An individual’s self-concept is shaped by factors like treatment during
childhood and religious/ethnic/cultural activities. For example, if a member of the LGBTQ
community believes that their God hates them, it could lead to internalizing self-loathing and
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negative mental health outcomes. This assertion is corroborated by findings from Wright (2022)
who examined the lived experiences of people who identified as belonging to the LGBTQ
community and had received traditional Christian education in black churches. Their findings
indicated that those studied had a shared experience of internalized homonegativity.
Fiske & Macrae (2012) wrote about how our tendency to interpret the world in terms of
the self becomes problematic when one misreads the self (p. 123). This becomes especially
relevant when acknowledging that most people tend to overestimate the extent to which their
thoughts control their actions and their control over their own thoughts (Fiske & Taylor, 2021).
Moreover, our self-beliefs guide the lenses used for judging others. Fiske & Taylor (2021) wrote
that people tend to use internal beliefs and characteristics as a basis for perceiving the qualities of
others. This aligns with previous research by Heatherton et al. (2004) which found that how one
views the self directly impacts how they view others, and that the accuracy of the former
significantly influences the latter. Even with all of this being true, Heatherton et al. (2004) argued
that a true definition of the concept of self is ambiguous at best, but that a “unitary sense of self”
(p. 190) is a unique and central feature of the human experience. The concept of self is difficult
to define, unique to the human experience, and formed from our own egocentrism, our treatment
from others, and the cultural/religious/ethnic environment in which we are raised.
Current Research
Attachment to God and Mental Health
It has been widely accepted and understood that religion plays a significant role in
physical and mental well-being. However, the current literature presents inconsistent views on
the role that religion plays in development of the personality (Haney & Rollock, 2020).
Researchers in the last five years (Leman et al., 2018) have presented results indicating that one’s
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perceived relationship with God influences the connection between religiosity and psychological
health. This presents an opportunity for future research examining the relationship between
attachment to God and perception of the self. Moreover, an existing gap in the literature exists
because these types of studies mostly investigate homogeneous Christian western samples.
Researchers in The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion (Pirutinsky et
al., 2019) examined whether attachment to God was a unique predictor of mental health in a
Jewish sample. Pirutinsky et al. (2019) found that avoidant attachment to God was significantly
correlated with anxiety but not depression. Religious social support was a significant predictor of
depression but not anxiety. Findings indicated that attachment to God was the strongest indicator
of mental health across the sample. This contributed new information to the field by studying the
religion-as-culture perspective of Judaism, a faith system that emphasizes orthopraxy over
orthodoxy.
This study's most significant strength was the use of existing effective measures, enabling
repeatability of the study in other populations. The study's most significant limitation was a cross
sectional design that could not establish directionality. Pirutinsky et al. (2019) has important
implications for the theory that God representation significantly impacts the view of self. Future
studies should focus on this same topic in other theologies (i.e., Islam, Hinduism, etc.).
Youth Belonging to a Religious Minority
If we are to support the positive development of children, we must do so in a holistic
manner that considers not only the development of their religion and spirituality (R/S), but also
their interaction between R/S and other aspects of development (Abo-Zena et al., 2019).
However, an existing gap in the literature exists in studying minority religions. For example,
Muslim youth in North America. Researchers in Journal of Muslim Mental Health (Elkassem et
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al., 2018) examined the experiences of Muslim-Canadian school-aged youth who regularly
experienced Islamophobia (operationally defined as microaggressions/overt hostility) because of
their beliefs. It was found that Islamophobia was a relevant issue that affected the mental health
of the children in the sample.
The most significant finding in the study was a disconnect between how Muslim children
saw themselves versus how they believed non-Muslims perceived them. This theme arose from
the children's observation of the depiction of people like them (Muslims) in the media, popular
culture, and their own experiences. Results indicated that there was a multi-layered effect of
Islamophobia on Muslim children: how they viewed themselves, their community, and fear for
their personal safety. This contributed new information to the field by considering the
psychology of youth belonging to a religious minority.
The study's most significant strength was that it studied a population that has gone largely
underrepresented in the current literature. The study's most significant limitation was that while it
was effective, an exploratory qualitative analysis in this context cannot accomplish more than
starting a conversation and justifying more research. However, that is still progress towards
understanding a historically underrepresented demographic. The work of Elkassem et al. (2018)
has important implications for the understanding and positive development of children belonging
to religious minorities. Future studies should focus on how and why gendered islamophobia has
become so common amongst Muslim girls/women (Farooqui & Kaushik, 2021).
Religiosity, Social Trust, and Health
Religion tends to be positively associated with overall health (Page et al., 2020) and
social trust (Bradshaw et al., 2021). There has also been evidence linking social trust and health
(Story et al., 2019). However, an existing gap in the literature exists in determining how religion
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and social trust combine to impact health. Researchers in Journal of Religion and Health
(Upenieks & Orfanidis, 2021) examined the relationship between social trust, religiosity, and
self-reported health across 27 countries. It was found that social trust tended to be higher in more
religiously pluralistic national contexts. At the same time, religiosity in those contexts helped
individuals maintain good health.
The most significant finding in the study was that higher levels of religiosity offset the
negative health effects of lower social trust, but only in highly pluralistic national contexts.
Results indicated that religiosity’s ability to offset the negative health effects of low social trust,
only occurred in countries with high levels of religious diversity. This contributed new
information to the field by showing the significant effect of national religious context. The
study's most significant strength was the massive size of a multinational sample. Even with the
limitation of primarily Christian inclusion, having results from 27,858 respondents across 27
nations is undeniably significant. The study's most significant limitation was the author’s
conceptualization of religious pluralism, a complex topic that is difficult to define and measure.
However, this research does present findings broad enough to at the very least justify
longitudinal studies in the future. The work of Upenieks & Orfanidis (2021) has important
implications for understanding cultural complexities in national religious contexts. Future studies
should focus on supporting these findings across more countries, religious faiths, and health
measures.
Attachment Theory in the Bible
The peak of creation comes in Genesis 1-2 (New American Standard Bible, 2005). It is
here that the reader sees a God that is relational, and that humans are made in His image. Adam
and Eve are created to be in relation with God, and with one another. In terms of attachment
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theory, humankind’s secure base is presented in God throughout the creation story. The secure
base of God gives Adam and Eve confidence to explore his creation, knowing that they are
tethered to Him and can return to Him (their safe haven). Genesis 3 brings about the fall. This is
where mankind severs the relational interdependence of Genesis 1-2 by straying from their
secure base and safe haven.
Separation through a biblical lens was turning away from God. Attachment theory would
call this denying the need for God as a secure base and safe haven. However, as early as Genesis
3:15, God signals towards redemption and restoration. We see this theme recurring frequently
throughout the Old and New Testament with the promise of “I will be their God and they will be
my people” (Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12; Ruth 1:16; Isaiah 52:6; Jeremiah 31:33; Matthew
1:23; John 1:14). Jesus teaches the theme of restoration in stories like the parable of the lost
sheep (Luke 15). The entire point of God becoming Jesus and walking the earth was to restore,
or re-attach, humanity to one another and to creation. This is supported by the restoration of
creation and humanity described in Romans 8:18–39. It does not end with the life of Christ.
Ephesians 2:15 talks about how even His death and resurrection united people and restored
relationships.
Discussion
The aim of social cognition is to better to understand how individuals process and
intrinsically represent information about other people, themselves, and socially constructed
events. Attachment is one means by which a person can process and intrinsically represent
information ab out other people and themselves. Therefore, attachment theory is a useful tool in
seeking to better understand the concept of self. A Christian worldview parallel to attachment
theory is the Grand Narrative according to Wolters (2005). Christian and secular counselors can
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use this parallel to better identify and treat dysfunctional attachment that lead to negative mental
health outcomes.
Immediate challenges to this endeavor present when it is conceded that people often do
not have an accurate view of the self, and that self as a concept can be difficult to define. For
example, research done on a sample of Muslim youth found that perceived islamophobia affected
mental health and self-concept whether the perception was accurate or not (Abo-Zena et al.,
2019). These findings were done in a location where Islam was the minority, which is important
to note because factors like social trust tend to be higher in more religiously pluralistic societies
(Bradshaw et al., 2021).
While the current literature presents inconsistent findings on the role that religion plays in
the development of the personality (Haney & Rollock, 2020), research performed in varied
populations has shown that attachment style to God (or God representation) is linked with
psychological health (Leman et al., 2018; Pirutinsky et al., 2019). For example, Pirutinsky et al.
(2019) found that avoidant attachment to God was significantly correlated with anxiety in a
Jewish sample. This aligns with previous research (Emery et al., 2018) asserting that attachment
style shapes close relationships and view of the self. Moreover, it was found that attachment
anxiety was harmful to the self-concept.
What all this simply means is that a dysfunctional attachment to God is likely to result in
a dysfunctional view of the self, which will have negative mental health consequences. This can
be better understood, and rectified, by viewing the Grand Narrative of creation, fall, redemption,
and restoration (Wolters, 2005) as a parallel to the four tenets of attachment theory: secure base,
exploration, attachment behaviors, and safe haven.
Conclusion
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The current research discussed social cognition in psychology, reviewed the current
literature concerning attachment and religion/religiosity, and identified scriptural parallels to
attachment theory through the lens of the grand narrative. Finally, discussion centered around
synthesizing these findings to better understand how attachment to God (or God representation)
impacts view of self. The clinical implications of this work enable secular and pastoral
counselors to assess and treat attachment dysfunction with God to aid the client in forming a
healthier view of the self. Future research should focus on seeking to understand how Christian
theology interacts with the empiric study of attachment theory.
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