An Examination of Religious Schemas through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory

Abstract Religious development literature in Christian higher education has successfully utilized Self-Determination Theory to explain how environmental factors predict faith maturity in college students. Recent trends suggest a need to account for more ecumenical perspectives in contemporary evangelical college students, and this study addresses the need by measuring religious schemas. Using a mixed methods design, the researchers measured three schemas, (a) truth in text, (b) fairness tolerance and rationality, and (c) xenosophia, using the Religious Schema Scale (RSS), in 871 students at a Christian evangelical university located in the central region of the United States. Multiple regression analysis calculated how environmental factors of autonomy support and religious pressures predicted RSS scores, while controlling for year in school and religious denomination. Students’ descriptions of self-perceptions of spiritual growth were analyzed for possible positioning along the Self-Determination Continuum and determining the role the university played in spiritual growth. Results found that only the truth in text schema is predicted by increases in both environmental factors; the fairness tolerance and rationality schema is predicted by higher religious pressures; and the xenosophia schema is predicted by lower religious pressures. Researchers concluded that Christian evangelical universities would benefit from expanding current religious development conversations, addressing pluralism, and incorporating a higher consciousness regarding diversity, to better meet the religious development needs of contemporary Christian evangelical students.