THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IDENTITY STATUS AND FAITH ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ABSTRACTMETHOD The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between identity status and faith attitudes and behaviors among college students using standardized measures. Participants included a random sample of 85 male and 104 female first year college students who completed three web-based surveys assessing 1) faith attitudes and behaviors, 2) self perceptions of identity strength, and 3) ego identity status. It was hypothesized that a student’s level of identity development would be directly related to his or her faith attitudes and faith behavior. Results indicated that students who have not committed to particular values, beliefs, and standards show less expression of faith attitudes and faith behaviors than students who have made ideological commitments. Furthermore, the results indicated that students who have made substantial exploration prior to identifying personal and unique ideological commitments show higher levels of faith attitudes and behaviors. The general trends indicated that a stronger sense of identity is associated with higher levels of faith attitude and faith behavior. INTRODUCTION The current study examined the relationship between the formation of identity and both faith attitudes and faith behavior. The formation of identity has long been recognized as a central aspect of human development. Our current understanding of identity has been shaped by theorists such as Carl Jung, Erik Erikson, James Marcia, Jean Piaget, and Lawrence Kohlberg. The study of faith development, in contrast, has only recently been legitimized as the study of faith and spirituality has become recognized as a valid psychological phenomenon. Although psychologists such as William James and Gordon Allport opened the door for the empirical study of faith and religion, only in recent years has there been a growing interest in the importance of faith as a topic for empirical study. While it is clear that the areas of identity and faith development are individually well established, there is a lack of research on the interface of these two domains. One exception is the work of James Fowler who developed a stage theory of faith that is based on theories of cognitive development. Mischey (1981) also found that faith stage, moral reasoning scores, and identity status were all highly correlated among year olds. The impressionability of late adolescence and the atmosphere of higher education contribute to the college years being an extremely important time of change and development for both the individual self and the religious self (Lee, 2002). Sanders (1998) is one of the few who has studied this phenomenon. He interviewed college students in an attempt to better understand the relationship between religious ego identity and religious faith maturity. Using a measure based on the presence or absence in an individual of an exploration of religious values or beliefs and commitment to them, he found that individuals who did not explore and were not committed to religious beliefs were less mature in religious faith than those who did explore and/or commit to religious beliefs. He also found that individuals who both explored and committed to religious beliefs were more effective in integrating service to humanity, community, and transcendent reality than those who committed to religious belief without having explored it. To date, few research studies have focused on the relationship between faith development and identity development among college students. The studies that have been conducted tend to lack empirical rigor. They are predominantly based on interviews. In a discussion of research in faith development, Nelson and Aleshire (1986) note that the interview approach is riddled with problems that are not easily eliminated. Besides the method of data gathering, many of the studies have small sample sizes, and focused exclusively on stages of identity or faith rather than integrating an understanding of these domains of life. The objective of this study was to incorporate an understanding of both attitudes and behaviors in evaluating the relationship between identity development and faith maturity among college students using standardized measures. It was hypothesized that level of identity development would be directly related to faith attitudes and faith behavior. Thus, the stronger an individual’s sense of identity, the stronger his or her attitudes about faith will be, and the more likely he or she will be to live out this faith in concrete behavioral terms. Participants A random sample of 300 students were recruited from the 2002 freshman class of a small, private, Christian, liberal arts university in southern California, as part of a larger longitudinal study on vocational development. Of the 300 recruited individuals, 189 (85 male, 104 female) participated and produced valid test data for the current analysis. Most (96%) participants were 18 or 19 years of age (M=18.66). Participants were predominantly Caucasian (72%), but other ethnicities were also represented (12% Asian, 10% Latino, 3% African American, and 3% other). Measures Demographic Form. Participants completed the demographic form at the beginning of the study. It assessed information about demographic characteristics of the sample such as age, sex, ethnicity, and parental income. OMEIS. A modified version of the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (OMEIS; Adams, Shea, & Fitch, 1979) was used to assess identity development. This 32-item scale is based on Marcia’s (1966) theory of identity formation. The OMEIS assigns individuals to one of four identity categories: diffused, foreclosed, moratorium, or achieved. The diffused identity status describes individuals who have not experienced a need to explore alternative values, beliefs, and standards, and have not established ideological commitments. The foreclosed identity status describes individuals who have stable commitments but have not experienced a personalized crisis period. They have adopted commitments from others and have not individualized their commitments. The moratorium identity status describes individuals who are currently experiencing the identity consciousness of an identity crisis and are actively exploring, but have not yet arrived at their own self-defined commitments. Finally, the achieved identity status describes individuals who have experienced a psychosocial moratorium and have made substantial exploration prior to identifying personal and unique ideological commitments. In addition, the measure includes two categories for individuals who do not fit into one of the statuses just mentioned: the undifferentiated individual does not belong to any of the four identity types and the transitional individual belongs to more than one of the identity types simultaneously. Sample items for each subscale of this measure are displayed in Table 1. Faith and Identity Survey. A 61-item web-based survey was developed to assess college student development in the areas of faith, identity, and vocation. Responses to three sections of the survey were evaluated in the current study. Faith attitudes were assessed with a 16-item (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.80) inventory consisting of four subscales assessing the strength of faith (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.75), the importance of faith (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.88), the life application of faith (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87), and an understanding of calling (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.45). Faith behaviors were assessed with a 10-item (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.8) inventory consisting of three subscales assessing public religious activity (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.63), private religious activity (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.55), and the experience of spiritual feelings (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.88). Identity was assessed with a 10-item (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.65) inventory measuring strength of identity development. Sample items for these inventories are displayed in Table 2. Identity Status Of the six statuses measured by the OMEIS, 4.2% of the students were in the diffused category (N= 8), 6.3% were in the foreclosed category (N=12), 4.8% were in the moratorium category (N=9), 14.8% were in the achieved category (N=28), 15.9% were in transition (N=30), and 54% were undifferentiated (N=102). Correlational Analysis Pearson Product Moment correlations were used to examine the relationship between the measures of identity and the measures of faith attitude and behaviors. The results are displayed in Table 3. Scores on the Diffused scale were negatively correlated with every subscale of faith attitude and faith behavior. Likewise, scores on the Moratorium scale were negatively correlated with every subscale of faith attitude and faith behavior. Scores on the Foreclosed and Achieved scales were generally not significantly correlated with faith attitudes and behaviors, with the exception of a low, positive correlation between the Achieved scale and the experience of spiritual feelings. The inventory measuring the strength of identity development was positively correlated with all scales of faith attitude and behavior. Group Comparisons Two-way analyses of variance were conducted on the total scores of faith attitude and behavior across identity categories and multivariate analyses of variance were also conducted to evaluate the subscales of faith attitude and behavior across identity type. These analyses indicated marginal significance. Despite this lack of significance, interesting patterns were observed across identity category types. Table 4 displays the means and standard deviations for faith scores across identity categories. The Achieved identity category generally had the highest means for faith attitudes and faith behaviors. On average, students in the Achieved identity category scored higher than students in the other three identity categories on faith attitudes, life application of faith, understanding of calling, faith behaviors, public religious activity, private religious activity, and experience of spiritual feelings. The Diffused identity category generally had the lowest means for faith attitudes and faith behaviors. On average, students in the Diffused identity category scored lower than students in the other three identity categories on faith attitudes, strength of faith, importance of faith, life application of faith, understanding of calling, faith behaviors, public religious activity, private religious activity, and experience of spiritual feelings. RESULTSCONCLUSIONS Correlations indicated that the Diffused and Moratorium identity categories were negatively correlated with the subscales of faith attitude and behavior. This indicates that low scores on exploration of alternative values, beliefs, and standards along with a lack of establishment of ideological commitments, and current experiences of identity crisis with active exploration but no commitment are associated with low scores on faith attitudes and faith behaviors. The defining feature that differentiates Diffused and Moratorium status from Achieved and Foreclosed status is that the former identity categories have not yet made commitments to particular values, beliefs, and standards in life. This indicates that a lack of commitment to a particular identity goes hand in hand with a low expression of faith attitudes and faith behaviors. In contrast, a strong commitment to a particular identity goes hand in hand with a high expression of faith attitudes and behaviors. Scores on the inventory of self perceptions of identity strength showed positive correlations with all forms of faith attitude and faith behavior. This indicates that having a stronger sense of identity goes hand in hand with stronger faith attitudes, including strength of faith, importance of faith, life application of faith, and understanding of calling, and stronger faith behaviors, including public religious activity, private religious activity, and experience of spiritual feelings. A surprising finding was the lack of positive correlations between scores for the Foreclosed and Achieved identity categories and faith attitude and behavior scores. The discrepancy might lie in the difference between the types of identity that are tapped by the different measures: the OMEIS and the self perceptions of identity strength. The OMEIS identity category scores suggest that a lack of identity development might be an impediment to the development of stronger faith attitudes and behavior, while identity development itself is not sufficient to influence faith attitudes and behaviors. This indicates that a growth in faith attitudes and behaviors might be the result of factors other than those defined as identity development by the OMEIS measure. Despite the lack of direct correlations between the Foreclosed and Achieved identity scores with faith measures, the means for faith attitudes and faith behaviors within the Achieved identity category were overall higher than those in the other identity categories. This indicates that students who have experienced a psychosocial moratorium and have made substantial exploration prior to identifying personal and unique ideological commitments have higher levels of faith attitudes (including life application of faith and understanding of calling) and faith behaviors (including public religious activity, private religious activity, and experience of religious feelings). Consistent with this trend, the scores in the Diffused identity category were overall lower for faith attitudes and behaviors than those in the other identity categories. This indicates that students who have not experienced a need to explore alternative values, beliefs, and standards, and have not established ideological commitments had the lowest levels of faith attitudes (including strength of faith, importance of faith, life application of faith, and understanding of calling) and faith behaviors (including private religious activity and experience of spiritual feelings). At this point in their identity development, a large number of the freshman who participated in the current study did not fit into one of the four major identity categories assessed by the OMEIS. The low number of participants in the four major categories of identity most likely contributed to a lack of significance in analyses comparing group means. Due to the longitudinal nature of this study, it will be possible to reassess these students at various points in their future development. Table 1. Subscales and Sample Questions for the Objective Measure and Ego Identity Status Diffused - I don’t give religion much thought and it doesn’t bother me one way or the other. - I guess I just kind of enjoy life in general, and I don’t see myself living by any particular viewpoint to life. Forclosed - I guess I’m pretty much like my folks when it comes to politics. I follow what they do in terms of voting and such. - My parents’ views on life are good enough for me, I don’t need anything else. Moratorium - I’m looking for an acceptable perspective for my own “life style”, but haven’t really found it yet. - There are so many different political parties and ideals. I can’t decide which to follow until I figure it all out. Achieved - A person’s faith is unique to each individual. I’ve considered and reconsidered it myself and know what I can believe. - It took me a long time to decide but now I know for sure what direction to move in for a career. Table 3. Pearson Product Moment Correlations between Faith Scores and Identity Categories Identity Categories Diffused Foreclosed Moratorium Achieved Identity Faith Scores Faith Attitudes -.474** ** ** Strength of faith-.469** ** ** Importance of faith-.434** ** ** Life application of faith-.445** ** ** Understanding of calling-.227**.152*-.293** ** Faith behaviors-.464** ** ** Public religious activity-.327** ** * Private religious activity-.432** ** * Experience of spiritual feelings-.468** ** ** ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). ELIZABETH KRUMREI AND CINDY MILLER-PERRIN - PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY PROCEDURE Three hundred participants were randomly selected from the 2002 freshman class, using a stratified random sampling technique to insure equal numbers of male and female participants. Participants were sent a letter inviting them to participate in an online survey. Participants were not able to proceed to the survey link until they had indicated that they had read and understood the consent form. Students then proceeded to complete a demographic form, survey of faith and self perceptions of identity strength, and survey of identity status. The survey materials required approximately 30 minutes to complete. As an incentive the participants received one hour of convocation credit towards a curriculum requirement. Table 4. MANOVA Results for Faith Scores by Identity Category Identity Categories Diffused Foreclosed Moratorium Achieved Faith ScoresMSDMSDMSDMSD Faith Attitudes Strength of faith Importance of faith Life application of faith Understanding of calling Faith behaviors Public religious activity Private religious activity Experience of spiritual feelings Table 2. Subscales and Sample Questions for the Faith and Identity Survey Faith Attitudes Strength of faith - I view myself as a religious person. - I have doubts about whether my religious beliefs are true. Importance of faith - Religion is not a very important part of my life right now. - My faith is not very important to me. Life application of faith - I depend on my faith in God for decision-making and direction. - I try hard to carry my religious beliefs into all other dealings in my life. Understanding of calling - I spend a lot of time contemplating God's will for my life. - I am unsure about what God is specifically calling me to do. Faith Behaviors Public religious activity - How often do you attend religious services? - How often do you take part in the activities and organizations of a church or place of worship other than attending services? Private religious activity - How often have you read the bible in the last year? - Within your religious or spiritual tradition, how often do you meditate? Experience of spiritual feelings - I find strength and comfort in my religion or faith. - I feel God's love for me, directly or through others. Identity - I am committed to a particular religious preference. - In many situations, I’m confused about what would be the right or wrong thing to do. - I am committed to a particular set of political beliefs. - I feel comfortable with all aspects of my sexual self. - I have a well-developed understanding of what my gifts and talents are.