Description

The Intrinsic – Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale is a psychometric tool designed to measure the different approaches individuals have towards religion. Developed by Gordon Allport and J. Michael Ross in 1967, this scale assesses whether an individual’s religious orientation is intrinsic or extrinsic. An intrinsic religious orientation refers to an inner, personal commitment to religion, while an extrinsic religious orientation refers to the use of religion for external benefits, such as social acceptance or personal security.

Goal

The primary aim of the Intrinsic – Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale is to provide a reliable and valid means of assessing the motivations behind an individual’s religious involvement. This tool helps researchers and clinicians understand how religious orientations influence psychological well-being, values, behavior, and interpersonal relationships. It also sheds light on how the internal or external use of religion impacts individual development and social integration.

Analysis

The Intrinsic – Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale consists of two main dimensions:
Intrinsic Religious Orientation (IRO):
This dimension evaluates the internal commitment and personal belief an individual has towards their religion.
Example statements:
“My religion is the most important thing in my life.”
“I try to live my life according to my religious beliefs.”
Extrinsic Religious Orientation (ERO):
This dimension assesses the use of religion for external benefits, such as social acceptance, personal security, or societal rewards.
Example statements:
“I attend religious services mainly to make friends.”
“I participate in religious activities for personal gain or social approval.”

Scoring

The scale uses a Likert-type format, where participants rate each statement on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Responses are collected and analyzed to produce overall scores for each dimension of religious orientation. Higher scores in the intrinsic orientation reflect a deeper personal commitment to religion, while higher scores in the extrinsic orientation indicate a greater use of religion for external purposes.

Bibliography

Allport, G. W., & Ross, J. M. (1967). Personal religious orientation and prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5(4), 432-443.
Batson, C. D., Schoenrade, P., & Ventis, W. L. (1993). Religion and the Individual: A Social-Psychological Perspective. Oxford University Press.
Kirkpatrick, L. A. (1992). An Attachment-Theory Approach to the Psychology of Religion. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2(1), 3-28.
Gorsuch, R. L., & McPherson, S. E. (1989). Intrinsic/Extrinsic Measurement: I/E-Revised and Single-Item Scales. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 28(3), 348-354.