Social Personality Traits as Salient Predictors of Religious Doubt Phenomena among Undergraduates

Abstract

Twenty-six years ago, Bergin, Masters, and Richards (1987) published results from a correlational study of Allport's two religious orientations with indices of pathology and social personality traits. Curiously, Batson's quest religion, a third religious orientation, was not included. The omission appears to accompany the unremitting uneasiness and confusion with religious doubt in the American Christian church. In contrast, the present study identified a set of mature and adaptive social personality traits related to doubt phenomena. Specifically, multiple regression analyses of questionnaire data from 642 religious undergraduates revealed four personality dispositions predicted quest religious orientation and theological exploration. Implications with and applications of the findings are discussed.