Coping With Identity Threat: The Role of Religious Orientation and Implications for Emotions and Action Intentions

Religiosity is typically related to positive outcomes following distress, yet it remains unclear how religiosity may alter responses when one's religious identity itself is challenged. The present investigation examined the role of appraisal-coping processes in the relations between religious orientations, emotions, and action intentions following identity threat. Study 1 (N = 63) assessed associations with religious orientations (intrinsic and extrinsic) following a threat targeting one's religion. Although both orientations evoked a broad array of responses, those related to an intrinsic orientation were stronger and included more negative reactions (e.g., sadness, confrontation). Study 2 (N = 59) evaluated the impact of a nonreligious identity threat, which elicited only adaptive responses (i.e., problem-focused coping, support seeking) that were associated with an intrinsic orientation. Appraisal-coping processes mediated relations between religiosity and responses to an identity threat in both studies but were most evident following religious threat. Taken together, these findings suggest that whereas an extrinsic religious orientation may function as a social identity in response to religious threats, the positive effects of an intrinsic religious orientation appear to be undermined by threats targeting the social group and belief system therein.