Interactional Factor Correlations with Means and End Religiousness

Abstract

In this research, principal component analyses of the Interactional Scale in nine separate samples revealed a reliable two-item Identity factor that was directly related to the AUlport and Ross Intrinsic Scale, to other measures of an End religious orientation, and to generally adaptive self-functioning. A two-item Doubt component and two other items that failed to load reliably on any factor predicted greater extrinsicness, diminished intrinsicness, and a tendency to display psychological maladjustment. These data challenge previous attempts to identify an independent Quest form of commitment and suggest that the Interactional Scale may actually reflect an amalgamation of Means and End religiousness. The results may also present noteworthy difficulties for previous attempts to interpret linkages between Quest and behavior as revealing a pro-social religious orientation. For almost two decades, the Allport and Ross (1967) analysis of religious motivation served as a benchmark for researchers in the psychology of religion. An intrinsic orientation was defined by Allport and Ross as a sincere commitment operating as the guiding motivation in an individual's life, while extrinsicness was identified as a more utilitarian approach in which church participation was used as a means to selfish ends. Scales developed to measure these constructs were first employed to clarify the relationship between religiousness and racial prejudice; and as predicted, extrinsicness was directly related to bigotry. Following removal of an Indiscriminately Proreligious type who scored high on both religious orientation scales, intrinsicness generally yielded an opposite influence. Such data obviously confirmed extrinsicness as maladaptive and intrinsicness as adaptive, a conclusion supported by much subsequent work (e.g., Donahue, 1985).