fei75766_ch12_377-407.indd 400  02/06/20 12:56 PM
Part IV    Dispositional Theories400
Thepublication ofAllport andRoss’s (1967) ROS spawned atremendous research 
literature onthese twodifferent motivations forreligion andtheirrelationship toboth
mental andphysical health.
Religious Motivation and Mental Health
Forgiveness isoften thought ofasareligious virtue having noplace innon-denominational 
psychotherapy, butempirical psychologists havebegun tostudy thisemotionally laden 
process, clarifying whatitisandwhatitisnot,anddiscovering itspositive association 
withmental health (e.g., Worthington, Witvliet, Pietrini, &Miller, 2007). Empirical 
approaches toforgiveness define thisprocess asoccurring within anindividual (i.e.,
theforgiven neednotknow theyareforgiven), andinvolving apositive attitude change 
toward atransgressor orparticular transgression. Furthermore, generally speaking, clini-
calpsychology hastaken ajaundiced viewofreligious faithaspartofamentally healthy 
personality, butAllport’s framework onreligious motivation ,asopposed tosimply religi -
osityperse,provides some interesting waysformental health professionals towork with
theirclients’ religious faithorspirituality during therapy (Bergin, 1980). 
Onerecent study explored whether intrinsic versus extrinsic religiosity influences 
individuals’ conceptualizations offorgiveness andtheirattitudes toward forgiveness as
atherapeutic intervention (Seedall &Butler, 2014). Over 300participants completed a
survey thatassessed theirintrinsic versus extrinsic motivations forreligion using avari-
ation oftheROS. These participants werethenrandomly assigned toreadoneofthree 
harm scenarios thatmight beaddressed ineither couples orfamily therapy: domestic 
violence, sexual affair, orsexual abuse. Participants thenrated theirunderstanding of
forgiveness andalsorated howacceptable theyfound aforgiveness therapeutic treat-
ment inthecontext oftheharm scenario. Theresearchers hypothesized thatintrinsi -
callyreligious people would bemore likely thantheextrinsically religious toaccept 
forgiveness asatherapeutic treatment, andlesslikely toendorse misconceptions about 
thenature offorgiveness. Oneofthese common misconceptions isassuming thatfor-
giveness represents pardoning orcondoning harm (itdoesnot). 
Seedall andButler (2014) found that,ashypothesized, intrinsically religious partic -
ipants weresignificantly more accepting offorgiveness intherapy thanextrinsically reli-
gious participants were. Furthermore, aspredicted, intrinsic religiosity predicted fewer 
misconceptions regarding forgiveness, andthismaybewhyindividuals whoapproach 
religion withamore intrinsic thanextrinsic motivation aremore prepared toaccept for-
giveness asastrategy intherapy. Thissuggests thatcouples andfamily therapists working 
withreligious clients might dowelltodetermine thereligious motivations ofthese clients 
inorder tobestfacilitate mentally healthy forgiveness work intherapy. Those whoare
more extrinsically religious mayneedtohavethepersonal benefits offorgiveness spelled 
outforthem inorder thattheynotforeclose onthispotentially healing experience due
tomisconceptions about it.Itseems thatbothforgiveness andamore intrinsically moti-
vated approach toreligion arebothassociated withgreater mental health. 
Extending Allport’s Religious Motivation to Other Religions
Most simply put,themotive tobereligious connects religious actstogoals. Intrinsic 
religiosity occurs when religious actsareendsinthemselves andextrinsic religios -
ityiswhen theyaredone asameans toanend.Onelimitation ofAllport andRoss’ Final PDF to printer