RESEARCH: Catholic Guilt? Comparing Catholics' and Protestants' Religious Motivations

Abstract

Are Catholics more motivated by guilt than Protestants? I tested this hypothesis via self-determination theory's concept of introjected motivation, in which behavior is only partially internalized (Deci & Ryan, 1991). Study 1 found that 1409 Catholic undergraduates were higher in introjected motivation than 1261 Protestant undergraduates. Catholics were also lower in identified motivation, in which behavior is fully internalized. Similarly, Study 2 found that a Catholic community sample was higher in introjected motivation than a Unitarian sample, and higher in external motivation (in which behavior is not at all internalized) than both the Unitarian and a Baptist sample. However, Study 2 Catholics were higher than the Unitarian sample in identified motivation, and the three groups were equal in intrinsic motivation (in which behavior is also fully internalized). Furthermore, the different groups were essentially equal in subjective well-being. Thus, although Catholicism may present motivational challenges to its adherents, these challenges do not necessarily undermine intrinsic motivation and well-being.