RUNNING HEAD: RELIGIOSITY AND OLDER ADULTS Religiosity and its Effect on Psychological Well-being in Older Adults

There has been numerous studies designed to assess the effects of religion on the psychological well-being of older adults. However, reviewing the literature reveals that currently the empirical work is inconsistent and often contradictory on this issue. The current study is designed to examine the effects of religiosity on psychological well-being in older adults. Psychological well-being will be assessed using scales for loneliness, self-esteem, and depression. The classification of Allport and Ross’s intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity (1967) will be used. One hundred subjects age 65 and older will be recruited from a local senior center that services the community. Specific planned contrasts will be implement based on the specific hypothesis. The specific hypotheses are: 1.) Individuals who are purely intrinsically religious will have more positive scores on the psychological well-being measures than those who are purely extrinsically religious. 2.) Individuals who are indiscriminately proreligious will have more positive scores on the psychological well-being measures than those who are purely intrinsically religious. 3.) Individuals who are purely extrinsically religious will have more negative scores on the psychological well-being measures than those who are indiscriminately