Kontraomvändelse - blivandet av en ateist : en religionspsykologisk undersökning av byte från religiöst orienteringssystem till ateistiskt

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study in the psychology of religion is to explore the process of an individual’s shift in orienting system, from a religious to an atheistic. The materials used are autobiographical accounts obtained from two books. One that has been used as a primary source and one as a secondary. By using Rambo’s process oriented theory of religious conversion relevant themes and categories were chosen and later subjected to further analysis using Pargament’s theory of religion and coping. In the first stage analysis themes and categories were chosen according to Rambo’s seven stages of conversion. In the second stage Pargament’s theory enabled an analysis of how the person’s means in different circumstances changed to reach certain important goals, significance. Results showed that the individual went through several of the stages and conversion motifs described by Rambo. In this process of conversion Pargament’s theory contributed to further explain the psychological transformation of the individual in each of these stages. Further research describing the process of an individual’s journey to atheism needs to be done and this paper might contribute to the understanding of this phenomena.