Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Psychology

Date of Award

8-2003

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

David J. Marx

Committee Members

Roger C. Bailey, Otto Zinser

Abstract

The present study examined whether high and low religiosity had any relationship to a person’s five measures of aggressiveness. The participants in this study consisted of 274 female and 202 male undergraduates. The results revealed that: (A) high scores of Religious Conflict and Hostility to Church yielded higher scores of aggression, (B) high scores of Religious Orthodoxy, Religious Solace and Religious Tranquility yielded lower scores of aggression, (C) high scores of Religious Conflict and Hostility to Church yielded higher scores of total aggressiveness, and (D) high scores on Religious Solace and Religious Orthodoxy yielded low scores of total aggression. Frequency of church attendance was a good predictor of hostility scores for both males and females. Religious conflict scores predicted scores on physical aggression for both males and females. The results of this study document the relationship among religiosity, religious beliefs, and aggression and provide insight into why people may or may not act aggressively.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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