Sacrificial Dynamite: The Convergence of Developed Empathy and Ongoing Relational Experience With God: A Grounded Theory
Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This grounded theory study examined how participants described and reflected on their lives and what led them to choose sacrifice. The study was grounded in a Christian understanding of sacrifice, defined as the willful giving up of one’s positions or possessions for the sake of serving others. Using in-depth, open-ended interviews and follow-up interviews to co-construct meaning, participants were asked to reflect on their childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood to reflect on and describe any messages, relationships, or experiences that they thought contributed to their eventual choice to sacrifice. The interviews were free-flowing and filled with beautiful and engaging stories.\nThe data were analyzed using a constructivist approach to grounded theory. There were five major and five secondary themes that bubbled up, with the top two major themes laying the foundation of the grounded theory that was developed. Although many of the themes played a role in the eventual choice to sacrifice, it was the combination of the top two major themes that, when combined, seemed to be the catalyzing ingredients needed to make the choice to sacrifice. These two themes were the development of empathy (most often through the experience of suffering) and an experience with God that led to an ongoing and growing relationship. This was not only born out in the data but was also cited as causal reasons for sacrifice by participants.\nThe grounded theory developed from the research is titled “Sacrificial Dynamite: The Convergence of Developed Empathy and Ongoing Relational Experience With God.” The findings added to and affirmed a number of studies that have been undertaken in the field of prosocial psychology. Prosocial behavior, generosity, and altruism are all similar concepts to what I have described as sacrificial action. This is still a relatively new field of inquiry and there is a need for further research on the concept of sacrificial action and what helps develop, encourage, and catalyze the action.
Author: Toran Scott
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2893921601