Personal Orientations

Allport preferred personality measures designed to examine the pattern of
characteristics that are important to a person and that allow for comparison
of the strengths of specific characteristics within the person rather than with
other persons. The Study of Values (3d ed., 1960), which was developed by
Allport, Philip Vernon, and Gardner Lindzey, measures a person’s preference
for the six value systems of theoretical, economic, social, political, aesthetic,
and religious orientations. After rank ordering forty-five items, the
individual receives feedback about the relative importance of the six orientations
within himself or herself. Consistent with the emphasis on uniqueness,
the scale does not facilitate comparisons between people. Although
the language of this scale is somewhat outdated, it is still used for value clarification
and the exploration of career and lifestyle goals.
Allport’s research also focused on attitudes that are influenced by group
participation, such as religious values and prejudice. Through the study of
churchgoers’ attitudes, he distinguished between extrinsic religion, or a
conventional, self-serving approach, and intrinsic religion, which is based
on internalized beliefs and efforts to act upon religious beliefs. Allport and his colleagues found that extrinsic churchgoers were more prejudiced than
intrinsic religious churchgoers; however, churchgoers who strongly endorsed
both extrinsic and intrinsic religion were even more prejudiced than
either extrinsic or intrinsic religious church attenders. Allport also examined
cultural, family, historical, and situational factors that influence prejudice.