Intrinsic and extrinsic religiousness: genetic and environmental influences and personality correlates

Authors: Bouchard Jr, Thomas J.; McGue, Matt; Lykken, David; Tellegen, Auke

Source: Twin Research, Volume 2, Number 2, 1 June 1999 , pp. 88-98(11)

Publisher: Australian Academic Press

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Abstract:

This report presents findings for the Intrinsic (IR) and Extrinsic (ER)religiousness scales from the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart. Thescales were shown to be internally consistent, sufficiently distinct fromthe scales of the California Psychological Inventory and the Multi-dimensional Personality Questionnaire and unrelated to a number of measuresof response style to justify treating them as distinct traits. The I scalesalso showed considerable evidence of construct validity in its correlationswith religious fundamentalism and authoritarianism as assessed by the MMPIand Altemeyer's Right-Wing Authoritarianism scale. Data on IRand ER from 35 pairs of monozygotic twins reared apart (MZA) and 37 pairs ofdizygotic twins reared apart (DZA) were fitted to a biometric model anddemonstrated significant heritability (0.43 and 0.39), with a model containinggenetic plus environmental factors fitting significantly better than a modelcontaining only an environmental component. Twin similarity could not beexplained by placement on a self-reported measure of family MoralReligious Emphasis as measured by the Family Environment Scale.

Keywords: twins; religiousness; personality

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1375/136905299320565951

Affiliations: 1: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

Publication date: 1999-06-01

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