The document discusses the functions of religion, highlighting its role in providing meaning, social control, and psychological comfort. It addresses various definitions and interpretations of religion across different societies, and emphasizes its significance in maintaining social order, resolving conflicts, and reinforcing group solidarity. Additionally, it outlines the cognitive and emotional functions of religion, including its role in helping individuals cope with life's transitions through rites of passage.

1. 
 Religion
 Function of religion
 Psychological Function Of Religion
Topic

2. 
Bibi MaRyaM
Aroosa Hajira
Mahnoor Nisar
Presented by

3. By
Bibi MaRyaM

4. 
 A set of belief in supernatural forces that function to
provide meaning, peace of mind and a sense of
control over unexplainable phenomena.

5. 
Problems of defining
Religion
1. Origin of religion
 Neanderthal
 Archeologist
 Animism
( polytheism & monotheism)

6. 
Religion
Social
structur
e
economi
c
political
Kinship
2) Defining the phenomenon
of religious and non-religious

7. 
3) Different society have different ways to
define religion ( natural & supernatural )
 Western society
 Black magic
 Not Scientifically prove
Example: Nyoro Society

8. 
 4) Use religion as a tool
 Mix culture with religion
 5) Modern problems
 Modern problem about which the as nothing to say or
address
 Example: scientific invention & biological experiment

9. By
Aroosa Hajira

10. 
 Religious system are universal it meet a number of
important need at both societal and personal level.

11. 
Social Function of
Religion
Social Control
Reinforment of
Group Solidarity
Conflict
resolution

12. 
Social Control
 One very important function of religion is that it use as
mechanism of social control
 Religion tend to maintain social Oder by encouraging
socially acceptable behaviour and discouraging
inappropriate behaviour.
 For example:Hindu in india belived that voiliting caste
expectations will destroy their future
reincarnation(recreation)
 In Islam, al'quran provides a framework and rules for
daily living, and how an individual should behave, in
almost every respect

13. 
Conflict resolution
•Religion play important role in reducing stress and
frustration that often lead to social conflict.
Powerless people in the startified societies somtime use
religion as way of diffusing anger and hostility
A case study of South Africa (1961)
Show how small group of black south Africa recently
systematically exclude from power structure creat illusion of
power by manipulating own religious symbol and form own
unique churches breakaway Christian church to reduce
conflict

14. 
Reinforcement of Group Solidarity
 Third function of religion is to intensify group solidarity
 Enable people to express common identity
 Strengthned group identity and belonging.
 People come together with common religious experiences
often engage in non religious activities which also
strengthned group solidarity
 The role of organized religion in creating and
maintaining group solidarity is important in imigrant
population.
 E.g in America the church is major and central institution
for imigrant society.

15. 
Rites of solidarity
 Ceremonies performed for the sake of enhancing social
integration among groups is called rites of solidarity.
 Communal cult is direct toward welfare of community rather
than welfare of individual
 For Example:A good example of cult that foster group
solidarity is ancestral cult .
 It is base on asumption that after death person soul continue to
interact and effect her /his decendents
 In other word when people died they are not buried and
forgettten rather are elevate to status of ancestor-ghost or
ancestor-god

16. 
Sisala belief(culture of north
Ghana)
Sisala believed that ancestor-ghost are guidence of the
moral oder.
All member of lineage are subject to autority of lineage
elders.
Elder are most important person of the lineage and
responsible to oversee the hormony and intrest of entire
group.
Sisala belief in power of the ancestor-ghost to protect moral
oder

17. By
Mahnoor Nisar

18.  Religion function psychologicaly for
benifits of the individual.
2 Types of psychological function.
 Cognitive Function.
 Emotional Function.

19. Cognitive Function
Cognitive function of religion is psychologically
comforting ..
1)It help us explain the unexplainable.
2)Deals with un answerable Questions.
3)Provide Satisfying answers of
Questions(Medical Pathologist).
4)World is meaningful,events happen for some
reasons.

20. Emotional Function.
Emotional function of religion is to help individual
cope with the anxieties that often a company
illness,accident and death.
Supernatural beings to control the forces which they
feel they have no control.
Example:
Trobriand Islanders, Games.
(Act with confidence = major psychological
function of religion).

21. Rites of passage
Ceremonies that mark a change in a person's social
position.These ceremonies which have religious
significance,help individual as well as society to dael with
the important life changes,such as birth,puberty,marriage.

22. Arnold Van Gennep
(1960)
Three ritual phases:
 Separation.
 Transition.
 Incorporation.

23. 
Separation
Separation is characterized by the stripping away of the old
status.
Transition
In transition the individual in a transitional stage,cut of from
the old status but not yet integrated into the new status.

24. 
Incorporation
 In this final phase the ritual incorporation of the individual
into the new status.
Examples...
 Kikuyu of Kenya (East African societies).
 Initiation ceremonies

25. 