THE GOALS AND TASKS OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION

Abstract

This article examines the psychology of religion as an independent field of scientific knowledge located at the intersection of psychology, religious studies, and the social sciences. The historical development of the discipline is outlined, from the pioneering works of William James, Edwin Starbuck, and Théodore Flournoy to contemporary empirical research. Particular attention is paid to the way the object and subject of the field have been defined and to the methodological principle of the exclusion of the transcendent. The article systematizes the main goals of the psychology of religion, namely description, explanation, prediction, and practical application, and identifies its central tasks: clarifying the concepts of religiosity and spirituality, studying religious development across the life span, analyzing religious experience, investigating the links between faith, coping, and mental health, understanding the social consequences of religiosity, and distinguishing healthy from destructive forms of religious life. The significance of these tasks for the multi-confessional society of Uzbekistan and for preventive work among young people is discussed.