Relationship between Religiousness and Locus of Control and the Role of Gender Differences

Little research has been done about the psychology of religion in Muslims, even though Islamic ideology, due to pervasive commands in almost every aspect of life, has really wide effects on its followers. The relationship between religious attitudes and locus of control has been of controversy, rendering paradoxical results. Observation of gender differences in religion and locus of control has not been congruent either. The aim of this research was to assess the relationship between religious attitudes and locus of control and the role of gender in these variables in a sample of Muslim university students. 179 undergraduate university students (96 male and 85 female) from three disciplines (humanistic, basic sciences, and engineering) were assessed for locus of control and religiousness through questionnaires. A relationship between religion and internal locus of control was found in female participants. There were significant gender differences in religion, in favor of females and in locus of control, in favor of males. These findings have some important implications for professionals and others; the association between religiousness and internal locus of control can result the disproval of this common stereotype that religious attitudes necessarily bring about an external locus of control. Females are more religious than males and males have more internal Locus of Control probably because of their different biopsychosocial conditions.