Identity Status, Religious Orientation, and Prejudice

Abstract

The identity status paradigm has some obvious common ground with the religious orientation paradigm, but surprisingly, there has been very little empirical investigation into the relationship of identity status and religious commitment. The current study investigated hypothesized relationships between identity status and religious orientation and anti-black and anti-homosexual prejudice. One-hundred and seventy-six Christian undergraduate students were administered the appropriate scales. Significant mean differences and correlations were found, mostly in the expected directions for the relationship between identity status and religious orientation. Expected relationships between identity status and prejudice were not found, with the exception of the relationship between foreclosure and both types of prejudice. These results were discussed in light of recent theoretical developments in the identity status paradigm.