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Journal of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research

Mentor

Wilder, Tron

Abstract

Personality traits are intimately involved with many, if not all, human endeavors, including the pursuit of a college degree. The purpose of this study was to see if there were differences in personality traits amongst academic majors and religiosity levels at Southern Adventist University. It also examined if there were differences in religiosity across academic majors. The differences in academic major and religiosity were compared between both gender and ethnicity. Fifty students from seven academic major categories were given personality and religiosity measures during a class, a LifeGroup, and several arranged meeting times. The results of these measures yielded several statistically significant results. There were significant differences between academic majors for personality trait Agreeableness and its aspect Compassion with science majors having the lowest outcomes. There were also significant differences for trait Conscientiousness and its aspect Orderliness. Specifically, there were differences between those within nursing and those in religion, psychology, and the arts. Differences in religiosity exist across personality traits. Agreeableness and its aspects Compassion and Politeness along with trait Openness/Intellect all differed in overall religiosity. There were significant differences between the genders for the religiosity measure Religious Exclusivity with males scoring higher. There were also ethnic differences between academic majors, especially between education and nursing, sciences, psychology, and math. Two major areas of this study did not yield significant results. Religiosity did not differ between academic majors or between ethnicities. There were also several other significant results in keeping with previous personality research. This study sets a solid framework for future research on the relationship between personality traits, academic major, and religiosity.

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