Associations Between Intrinsic Vs Extrinsic Religiosity and Hope

Extensive research has provided evidence that different levels of religiosity and hope positively correlate with people's life satisfaction, happiness, and well-being. Conversely, hopelessness or low levels of hope have been shown to predict maladaptive health behaviors such as anxiety, depression, and suicide. The aim of this study is to test whether people's religious orientation (extrinsic vs. intrinsic) is associated with degrees of hope above and beyond personality, demographics, and socio-economic traits. In a sample of 417 US adults, a regression analysis was used to test the incremental validity of an individual's religious orientation scale in predicting levels of hope. We controlled for personality traits using the big five inventory as well for demographics and parental socio-economic status. Contrary to my hypothesis, results evidenced that individuals with higher levels of extrinsic religiosity (vs. intrinsic) religiosity had higher levels of hope, above and beyond demographics and personality traits.