Five Factor Theory

The study was based on the integration of McCrae and Costa’s theory on religion which stemmed from their five factor theory, the dimensions of the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (RSWB) and Ryff’s Six Core Dimensions of Psychological Well-Being. According to McCrae and Costa (as cited in Espinosa & Mijares, 2014), Religiosity is a cultural adaption resulting from the five factor model of personality. Hennigsgaard & Arnau (2008) found that in a univariate level, religiosity variables show significant correlations with the Big Five Personality Traits. A series of studies that used Eysenck’s three dimensional model of personality found that of the three dimensions (Psychoticism, Extroversion, Neuroticism), only Psychoticism has been found to have a consistent negative correlation to religiosity across a variety of cultures and denominations (Saroglou, 2002) while in studies using the Big Five

Results though have not been consistent due to differing cultures, religiosity scales used and constructs used (Jorm & Christensen, 2004). High levels in Agreeableness and Conscientiousness although positive can be detrimental to one’s mental health. Agreeableness can cause an increase of social consensus (Cote & Moskowitz, 1998) while conscientiousness can encourage adherence to established protocols (John & Srivastava, 1999) and in sum, would reflect tendencies to feel and act like everyone else and to assimilate cultural norms wholly (Bleidorn, Gebauer, Gosling, Lamb & Potter, 2014). According to Freud (as cited in Lewis, 1994),