Exploring the Economic Nature of Spiritual Values: Results from a Qualitative Meta-analysis

Koundouri, Phoebe and Landis, Conrad and Onofri, Laura (2025): Exploring the Economic Nature of Spiritual Values: Results from a Qualitative Meta-analysis. Forthcoming in:

Abstract

The study performs a qualitative meta-analysis of literature on economic valuation of spiritual values, to possibly assess and attach them a common meaning and content. We apply the qualitative meta-analysis procedure, developed by Atkins et al. (2008), and validated by econometric analysis, to (1) literature on spiritual ecosystem services (SES) valuations studies and to (2) literature on measurement of spiritual capital impacts on economies and markets, with a focus on religious markets. Markets and economies, in fact, are complex social structures, where the spiritual values originated in environmental and ecosystem contexts might change connotation and significance. Results show that when spiritual values are expressed as nature direct consumption or instinctual feedback from nature, they seem to have a use value at personal level and a negative impact at social level (economies and institutions). When spiritual values are expressed as responsibility and connection through nature they have a non-use value at personal level and a positive impact at social level (economies and institutions). In this perspective, qualitative meta-analysis results may offer a preliminary support for a better understanding, design and implementation of quantitative and monetary valuation methods for SES and other spiritual values.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: spiritual values, ecosystems, spiritual ecosystem services, spiritual capital, spiritual capital impacts on economies and markets, qualitative meta-analysis
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O10 - General; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q0 - General > Q01 - Sustainable Development; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q57 - Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services ; Biodiversity Conservation ; Bioeconomics ; Industrial Ecology; Z - Other Special Topics > Z1 - Cultural Economics ; Economic Sociology ; Economic Anthropology > Z12 - Religion

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