Self-transcendent dispositions and spirituality: the mediating role of believing in a benevolent world

The considerable connection between religiosity/spirituality and positivity in life in general has been widely demonstrated. However, preliminary evidence has shown that when also a cognitive component is included, the direction of this relationship seems to emerge more clearly. Specifically, the differential pathways linking specific positive self-transcendent (ST) experiences and religiosity/spirituality is still an open issue. In this study, we explored the cognitive pathways linking general ST to spirituality and religiosity, via basic beliefs. The results obtained were partially in line with the existing literature. Notably, being a believer or not did not affect the emotional side but only the cognitive one.