PERCEPTIONS OF PROFESSIONALS WHO EXPRESS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Abstract

Previous research suggests that a positive stereotype or “halo” is associated with the appearance of being religious. This study investigated how college students (81 males and 162 females) perceived male targets who did or did not publicly express religious beliefs in their professional lives and who had access to varying sizes of public audiences (e.g. a TV personality, a college professor, and an accountant). Results demonstrated that, independent of the potential audience sizes, college students viewed a professional who actively expressed his religious beliefs to be more liked, more intelligent, more trustworthy, more moral, and more personally adjusted than a nonexpressive professional. Future studies should examine the frequency, manner of expression. and content of religious expressions on person perception.