The Phenomenon of Religious Conversion Among Kazakh Youth and the Main Psychosocial Factors Influencing It

Abstract

The phenomenon of religion has always influenced society, regardless of its stage. Religion is considered one of the most important elements in some people's lives. Therefore, questions related to religion often arise in society. One of the most pressing issues is the topic of religious conversion. The proportion of young people among those who passed through religious conversion is very high. Changes in young people's behaviour, religious understanding, and outlook on life are among the topics of interest to scholars in fields such as religious studies, psychology, and sociology. This article defines the concept of religious conversion and examines the main psychosocial factors influencing religious conversion among Kazakh youth. It also examines the views of psychologists who were at the origin of this study. It analyses the modern manifestations of religious conversion and the research on this topic. The reasons for the growth of this phenomenon in modern society are shown, and the phenomena of religious conversion in Kazakh society and other countries are compared and analysed. That is, in addition to the studies of foreign literature, the manifestations of religious conversion in our country are also considered, and the theories on this subject are analysed. The study also presented and analysed the results of interviews with 25 respondents who had undergone religious conversion.