Process / pipelinereligious motivation

Intrinsic-Extrinsic Religiosity Scale (I/E Scale)

The I/E Scale, originally developed by Allport and Ross in 1967, is a foundational measure in the psychology of religion that distinguishes between two motivational orientations toward religion: intrinsic (religion as end in itself, source of meaning) versus extrinsic (religion as means to social, personal, or practical ends). This conceptual distinction has profoundly influenced decades of research on religious prejudice, moral behavior, and health outcomes. The original 20-item version has been refined to a 14-item form (I/E-Revised) that improves psychometric properties while maintaining theoretical clarity.

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Sources

  1. Allport, G. W., & Ross, J. M. (1967). Personal religious orientation and prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5(4), 432–443. DOI: 10.1037/h0021212
  2. Gorsuch, R. L., & McPherson, S. E. (1989). Intrinsic/extrinsic measurement: I/E-Revised and single-item scales. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 28(3), 348–354. DOI: 10.2307/1386745

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Referenced by

ScholarGateI/E Religiosity Scale (Intrinsic-Extrinsic Religiosity Scale). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/psychology-of-religion/intrinsic-extrinsic-religiosity