Religious Beliefs and Scientific Ideology in Psychologists: Conflicting or Coexisting Systems?

Abstract

147 Members and Fellows of the American Psychological Association were surveyed to assess their endorsement of religion and science as sources of knowledge and their self-perceived conflict between these two orientations. A 37-item questionnaire was constructed to assess religiosity, religious ideology, scientific thinking, and self-perceived conflict. Psychologists reported mild to moderate involvement and identification with religion, which is much lower than that found among the genera] public. However, they were also skeptical of science as providing the only mode of fully explaining the world. While there was a low, positive correlation between religiosity and personal conflict, subjects were generally conflict-free. Few psychologists endorsed coexisting religious and scientific belief systems.