The Relationship of the Purpose in Life (PIL) Test to the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI),the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test Scores,and Grade Point Averages of High School Students

Abstract

The purpose of the present project was to determine the degree of correlation between the PIL and (a) the Time Competency (TC) scale of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI), (b) the Inner-directed (I) scale of the POI, (c) IQ scores of high school students who took the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test, Form L-M, and (d) grade point average (GPA) of the same high school students. Subjects employed in the endeavor were 24 high school Juniors and Seniors evenly divided as to sex. The coefficients of correlation between scores on the PIL and (a) POI-TC, (b) POI-I, (c) Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test and (d) GPA were, respectively, .71 (p < .01), .69 (p < .01), .55 (p < .01) and .42 (p < .05). It appears that a positive relationship exists between certain attributes of a self-actualizing person and the life style of the person who scores high on the PIL. One cannot, on the basis of this research, rule out the possibility that self-actualization and strong purpose in life are related secondarily through separate relationships with other variables.

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References

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