Religious Motivation in Middle Age: Correlates and Implications

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative relationship of self-rated health, age, sex, race, three measures of self-concept (actual, appearance, and ideal), education, occupation, and locus of control to religious motivation in middle age. The subjects were 301 men and women between the ages of 45 and 65 years from 22 randomly selected United Methodist churches. The results of the study show that factors reflective of the process of acculturation such as sex, ideal self-concept, and locus of control maintain the strongest relationship with religious motivation. Women, persons who have high idealized self-concepts, and adults who believe that what happens to them is under their personal control are less likely than others to be extrinsically motivated or to show a "self-centered" dependence upon religion. Consequently, the findings suggest that an important relationship may exist between the "comfort" or "challenge" functions of religion and spiritual well-being in later life for middle-aged groups.