Gender Differences in Relation to the Love of God: the Moderating Role of Identity

This research was done in Qom University with the purpose of investigating the gender differences related to the love of god with the emphasis on the role of self identity. In this study, 370 students (male, 190 and female, 180) were selected through the clustered sampling. The sample answered the tests of self identity (EOM-EIS-2) and love of god (ATG-37) and the data was analyzed through the matched t-test and multiple regressions. The girls’ higher scores in relation to the safe and bilateral love and the boys’ higher scores in regard with the evitable love showed the meaningful difference between male and female in this regard. Therefore, no meaningful difference was observed between them in relation to the distribution of four kinds of identities. The results clarified that the gender of test takers is considered as a meaningful predictor for the three kinds of love of god. However, there are two developed and diffuse-avoidant identities with meaningful beta in the prediction of safe and evitable love in the base of identity and by the effect of gender and identity in regression equation, it is observed that the beta of developed identity has decreased and it is not meaningful any more while the beta of diffuse-avoidant identity has decreased and it is constantly meaningful. In bilateral love of god, just one diffuse-avoidant identity is of meaningful beta and by the effect of gender and identity in regression equation, it is observed that the beta of diffuse-avoidant identity has decreased and it is not meaningful any longer. Therefore, it is concluded that the gender and identity are two predicting variables related to the love of god and identity is of meaningful role in the relationship between gender and love of god.