Belief in Karma and its Relationship with Guilt, Shame, and Psychological Inflexibility

Abstract

India has strong religious tradition, and even though western ideas are influencing young people, belief in karma is still very important. However, karma belief and its link to moral emotions and cognitive flexibility remains underexplored. This study examines such associations in a sample of 204 young adults (18 – 40) by using proven psychometric scales: Belief in Karma Scale (BKS), Guilt and Shame, Proneness Scale (GASP), acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II). Correlational analysis and independent t-test were used to analyse the relationship among variable, and any demographic differences. The result revealed a significant positive correlation between relief and karma and guilt/shame proneness, but belief in karma was not significantly related to psychological inflexibility-meaning that people can believe in karma and still be emotionally flexible. There were no significant differences in age and gender study variables. Overall, the study suggests that belief in karma plays an important role in shaping moral emotional experience without necessarily aiding psychological inflexibility.