Yogyakarta, 15 September 2026 — Researchers from the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have examined the association between religiosity and happiness among Indonesian Muslims using a Bayesian analytical approach. The findings offer a new perspective that is more representative than those of previous studies.
The study, entitled “Bayesian Analysis of the Association between Religiosity and Happiness in an Islamic Context: Evidence from Indonesian National Survey Data” was conducted by Dr. rer. pol. Bhina Patria, S.Psi., M.A., Wahyu Widhiarso, S.Psi., M.A., and Prof. Drs. Subandi, M.A., Ph.D., Psikolog.
The research analyzed nationally representative data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS-5). Unlike several previous studies that faced methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes and limited cultural diversity, this study involved 28,402 Indonesian Muslim respondents selected through probability sampling. Data were collected comprehensively through face-to-face interviews, with respondents having an average age of 37.18 years.
Using Bayesian regression analysis, the researchers found extreme evidence supporting religiosity as an important predictor of happiness. These findings are particularly significant because they address several methodological limitations of previous studies. Earlier research on religiosity and happiness was predominantly conducted in Western countries, relied on self-administered questionnaires susceptible to bias, and primarily involved undergraduate student samples. By using a national sample from Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in Southeast Asia, this study provides a more accurate and valid picture.
These findings strengthen the evidence for the importance of religiosity in understanding happiness, particularly in the context of Indonesian society, where religious values play a strong role in social and cultural life.
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