The Impact of Religious Conversion on Social Identity in the Republic of Kazakhstan

This work contains a comprehensive overview of psychological research on religious conversion and spiritual transformation, which went through remarkable growth in the past generation. The period from 1900 to 1930s was marked by James, Hall, Freud their followers; subsequent restrictions stopped such work. In 1960s, this area re-emerged; since then, it has significantly expanded. A new study examines various religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism. New movements spirituality. Conversion is seen as process varying speed, motivation, context, direction, deconversion. World religions are similar many ways; scholar Stephen Prothero calls resemblance “family resemblance”. All include rituals, scriptures, holy days gathering places. Each religion gives its followers instructions concerning way that people should deal with each other. addition, three world – Judaism, Christianity Islam have common origin: they all go back biblical figure Abraham. Nowadays there few countries diversity ethnic groups Kazakhstan. Keywords: conversion, social identity, sociology religion, affiliation, phenomenon