Results of a major study on MBTI and belief in God

[matt434]

I recently finished my PhD about how personality type impacts one's belief or non-belief in God, particularly among those who grew up attending church. The study was based on a whopping 20,000+ participants and I'm self-publishing the whole thing as a book.

The below chart sums up the findings. In a nutshell, it appears that ISTPs and INTPs that grew up in church are the most likely to leave and become atheists as adults. Thought you all would find that fact interesting (I'm an INTP myself).

If you're interested to know more, there's a few more previews of the findings here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1818798739/the-atheist-personality-book

 

[Jennywocky]

Not sure if you're trying to just sell the book here.

... but yes, I'm an INTP who started in church after birth (and that framework) and eventually left for good in my late 30's after a lot of wrestling/frustration and trying to also push and prod from within. I couldn't change much there, and I couldn't endure the environment any longer.

 

[matt434]

I mostly just want people to know about the results. I find that the question of type and religion comes up a lot on forums but until now, there hasn't been any hard data. Just anecdotal evidence.

 

[ruminator]

Thanks for sharing. It's weird that INTJ scored lower than INTP on atheism.

 

[Hadoblado]

INTJ's synthesise information less consciously. Once things are assimilated by them and not found to be maladaptive, they can be in an odd place where they understand the limitation of their perspective but are too comfortable to bother exploring alternatives.

The INTJ I live with follows football. He's very intelligent and self-aware. Most people are surprised he follows football because he just seems too detached for that sort of thing. But he grew up on football, and even though he refuses to wear his colours etc. because he doesn't want to mingle with typical football meathead types, he knows that it works for him. He gets very involved with it, getting scary level furious when his team loses etc. It's interesting to watch.

Essentially, belief systems can be goal driven too. If questioning your belief system alienates you and there's not good reason to do it, why would they do it?

Hidden premise being that football = religion.

 

[redbaron]

Thanks for sharing. It's weird that INTJ scored lower than INTP on atheism.

Not the way I see it.

Ni-doms are all 'bout dat "MYSteRIeZ oF dA UnIVerSe WoW so WwwoOoOoOoOowWwW" life.

 

[Urakro]

That's quite a big divide between thinkers and feelers.

There's something weird about the question,
"Are certain personality types more likely to become atheists than others?", when I switch it around a little,
"Are atheists more likely to identify as certain personality types than theists?"

I thought I had something, but it doesn't detract that there are notable differences in personality between people, even when brought up under certain circumstances.

How were the people tested on their personality type? For example, was it self-reported or were they assessed by someone else?

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Thanks for sharing. It's weird that INTJ scored lower than INTP on atheism.

Yeah... INTP's are agnostic, the lot of them!

Also gonna reiterate the point about Ni bein's all mystakool and stuff.



Allllsoooo, since people tend to think being theist means you have to follow all these fules and stuff (it doesn't mean that at all olol), then J's are more likely to be theist since they like rules.

 

[matt434]

That's quite a big divide between thinkers and feelers.
How were the people tested on their personality type? For example, was it self-reported or were they assessed by someone else?

Type was assessed by using the Francis Psychological Type Scales -- a 40 item survey similar to the MBTI but mostly used in academic studies.

 

[scorpiomover]

Where's the chart?