The Development of
Vocation as Calling
Research Sponsored by the Lilly Endowment
Cindy Miller-Perrin
Don Thompson
Elizabeth Krumrei
Emily Andrews
Marisa Sessions
Faculty Conference
Pepperdine University
October 8, 2004
Voyage Project
Research Overview

Student Vocational Development



Web Surveys
Personal Interviews
Faculty Vocational Discernment &
Action


Surveys
Autobiographies
Student Web Survey
Measures faith attitudes, faith behaviors, identity
development, vocation definitions, vocational
discernment, and vocational barriers.
 Longitudinal administered each fall as well as prior to
initial enrollment
 Entering Freshmen: July 2002, 300 surveyed, 113
completed
 Freshmen: March 2003, 300 surveyed, 191
completed
 Sophomores: March 2004, 174 surveyed, 111
completed

Student Personal
Interview

Students complete 30-minute personal interview in
fall of each 4 years at Pepperdine (2002-2005)

2002 Freshman Sample: 105 students from the 150
who completed the Web survey

2003 Sophomore Sample: 65 students from the 105
who previously participated

Students to be interviewed fall 2004, 2005
Faculty Survey





Measures faculty members’ concepts of vocation,
personal experiences of discerning vocation, and
personal barriers experienced while pursuing
vocation
Pre/post-test design
Pre-test fall 2003: 144 Seaver tenure track faculty
invited, 75 completed
Approximately one-third of these expressed interest
in further vocational discernment activity
Post-test will be administered in the fall of 2006
Faculty Autobiographies

Florence, Italy New Faculty Faith, Learning &
Vocation Seminar and summer Faith and Learning
Seminars participants write self-reflective essays
about vocational journeys - highlighting major
turning points, crises, experiences of clarity,
affirmations, and tensions

Data accumulated from December 2002, Summer
2003, and December 2003, Summer 2004.
Analysis & Dissemination
Faith, Vocation, and Identity – Western
Psychological Association, April 2004 –
Krumrei, Miller-Perrin, & Thompson
 Faculty Conference Presentation, October
2004
 Vocational Discernment and Action Among
University Professors – Faith In the Academy
Conference, October 2004 – Thompson &
Miller-Perrin

Analysis & Dissemination
The Relationship between Status of Identity
Development and Maturity of Faith: A
Quantitative Study of College Students International Journal of Psychology of
Religion, Spring 2005 - Krumrei, Miller-Perrin,
& Thompson
 Gender and Vocational Discernment –
Conference on Psychology of Religion, April
2005 – Miller-Perrin & Thompson

Analysis & Dissemination
Identity and Faith: The Role of Crisis and
Commitment – Conference on Psychology of
Religion, April 2005 – Krumrei, Miller-Perrin &
Thompson
 A Life Dedicated to Service: College Students’
Commitment to Service and the Role of Faith
Attitudes, Faith Behaviors, and Personal
Sense of Vocation – Western Psychological
Association, April 2005 – Andrews, Sessions,
& Miller-Perrin

The Relationship between Status of
Identity Development and Maturity
of Faith
Elizabeth Krumrei
Bowling Green State University
Questions Commonly
Asked by College Students
Who am I?
 What should I do?
 What is the meaning of life?

Purpose of Study
Identity
Faith
Hypothesis: Students’ level of identity
development will be directly related to
their faith maturity.
Research Hypothesis
Identity
Faith:
Convictions
&
Behavior
Students with a stronger sense of identity will have
deeper faith convictions which will be lived out in
concrete behavioral terms.
Past Research
The college years are the “critical years”
in development (Parks, 2000).
 The college years are an important time
of change for the individual self and the
religious self (Lee, 2002).
 Both healthy and unhealthy forms of
development occur during the college
years (Love and Talbot, 2002).

Lack of Research
Theories of spiritual development have
existed at the margins of student
development theory for 20 years but have not
been given serious consideration (Love,
2002).
 Spirituality and spiritual development have
been conspicuously absent from student
development theories and ignored by many
student affairs professionals (Love & Talbot,
1999).

Importance of Research
Scientific study of faith and identity is
necessary for the design, implementation,
and evaluation of specific efforts for change
and growth among college students.
 As an issue of integrity and responsible
stewardship, Christians in positions of
leadership should be concerned with efforts
to promote movement towards greater
spiritual and identity maturity (Butman,
1990).

Current Study
The intimate and intricate faith-identity
linkage makes intuitive psychological and
theological sense, however, there is limited
research examining this relationship
(Bussema, 1999).
 The current study was designed to better
understand the relationship between faith
and identity among college students.

Identity

Domains of Life








Politics
Religion
Philosophy
Occupation
Morality
Sexuality
Relationships
Purpose

Dimensions


Exploration
Commitment
Identity

The extent of an individual’s exploration
of, and commitment to, particular
beliefs, roles, and ideologies within the
domains of politics, religion, philosophy,
occupation, morality, sexuality,
relationships, and purpose.
Faith

Faith Attitudes




Importance of faith
Strength of belief
Life application of
faith
Understanding of
calling

Faith Behaviors



Public religious
activity
Private religious
activity
Experience of
spiritual feelings.
Method
Participants: 189 first-year students.
 Measures

two measures of identity
 two measures of faith

Measures

Identity
Objective Measure of Ego-Identity Status
Self-Perceptions of Identity Strength Survey

Faith
Faith Attitudes Survey
Faith Behavior Survey
Objective Measure of EgoIdentity Status
Identity
Status
Exploration
Commitment
Diffusion
No
No
Foreclosure
No
Yes
Moratorium
Yes
No
Achievement
Yes
Yes
OMEIS Sample Items
Identity Status
Sample Item
Diffusion
I don’t give religion much thought and
it doesn’t bother me one way or the
other.
Foreclosure
My parents’ views on life are good
enough for me, I don’t need anything
else.
Moratorium
There are so many different political
parties and ideals. I can’t decide which
to follow until I figure it all out.
Achievement
It took me a long time to decide but
now I know for sure what direction to
move in for a career.
Self-Perceptions of
Identity Strength Survey
Overall identity scores based on
contemplation of, and confidence in: career,
religion, morality, politics, sexuality,
relationships, and purpose.
 Sample items






I am confident in knowing what I should major in at
Pepperdine.
My parents have taught me to have a good sense of right
and wrong
I have thought a lot about my political beliefs.
I am not completely comfortable with my sexuality.
I have a well-developed understanding of what my gifts and
talents are.
Faith Attitudes Survey
Subscales
Sample Items
Strength of Belief
•I
Importance of Faith
•Religion
Life Application of Faith
•I
Understanding of Calling
•I
view myself as a religious person.
•I have doubts about whether my
religious beliefs are true.
is not a very important part of
my life right now.
•My faith is not very important to me.
depend on my faith in God for decisionmaking and direction.
•I try hard to carry my religious beliefs
into all other dealings in my life.
spend a lot of time contemplating God’s
will for my life.
•I am unsure about what God is
specifically calling me to do.
Faith Behavior Survey
Subscales
Sample Items
Public Religious
Activity
•How
Private Religious
Activity
•How
Experience of
Spiritual Feelings
•I
often do you attend religious services?
•How often do you take part in the activities and
organizations of a church or place of worship other
than attending services?
often have you read the Bible in the last year?
•Within your religious or spiritual tradition, how
often do you meditate?
find strength and comfort in my religion or faith.
•I feel God’s love for me, directly or through others.
Results
15%
13%
10%
Diffusion
Foreclosure
Moratorium
Achievement
62%
Self-Perceived Identity
Strength and Faith
Identity
Strength
Faith
Attitudes
and
Behaviors
Comparison Between
Identity Status and Faith

For faith attitudes:


For faith behaviors:


Diffusion < Foreclosure, Moratorium,
Achievement
Diffusion < Moratorium, Achievement
For faith attitudes and behaviors:

Achievement = Moratorium, Foreclosure
Comparison Between
Identity Status Scores and
Faith
Diffusion
Moratorium
Faith
Attitudes
and
Behavior
Comparison Between
Identity Status Scores and
Faith
Commitment
to
Ideologies
Faith
Attitudes
and
Behavior
Identity Status Scores and
Faith
Foreclosure
&
Achievement
Scores
Faith
Attitudes
&
Behaviors
Summary of Findings

Self-Perceptions of Identity Strength Survey


High identity is related to high faith
Objective Measure of Ego-Identity Status




Low identity (diffusion status) is related to low
faith
Lack of ideological commitments (diffusion and
moratorium scores) is related to low faith
High identity (achievement status) is unrelated to
faith
Presence of ideological commitments (foreclosure
and achievement scores) is unrelated to faith
Necessary-But-NotSufficient Theory
Not having a strong sense of identity is an
impediment to faith formation.
 Having a strong sense of identity does not
impact faith in either direction.
 Summary: Individuals must be at a mature
stage of identity development in order to
develop mature faith, but identity
development itself is not the cause of higher
levels of faith maturity.

Implications
In order to make it possible for students to
mature in their faith, students must be
encouraged to move beyond the immature
stages of identity.
 In order to encourage a growth in faith
attitudes and behaviors, one must move
beyond a focus on identity and find practical
ways of fostering spiritual development
directly.

Encouraging a Shift away from
Immature Identity (Parks, 2000)






Network of belonging
Support and challenge in successes and
failures
Atmosphere of inquiry
Genuine dialogue, contemplation, awareness,
and critical thought
Images of truth, transformation and
interrelatedness
Encouragement to aspire to new possibilities.
Ways Faculty and Staff can
Encourage Faith Maturity
(Love & Talbot, 1999)





Recognize the importance of faith
Gain understanding of personal spiritual
development
Open attitude towards issues of faith among
students
Education and training regarding faith
development
Recognition for the spiritual underpinnings of
emotional crises
A Life Dedicated to
Service: Faith and
Commitment to Service in
College Students
Emily Andrews
Marisa Sessions
Creating Lives of Purpose

Pepperdine affirms that, “knowledge
calls, ultimately, for a life of service”

The college years represent a formative
period that determines an individual’s
attitudes and behaviors toward service
Characteristics of College
Students’ Service Activity
46% of students participated in some form of
community service while in college
 20% of students reported they served 1 to 5
community service hours per week
 28% of students were involved in service
activities that lasted more than 12 months
 College students most often direct their
service toward education, human needs, and
environmental groups

Areas of Change Resulting
from Service Work

Values



Students’ commitment to social activism and promoting
racial understanding are significantly increased
Students who participate in service are more likely to feel
they are empowered to bring about changes in society
Behaviors


Time spent in volunteer work during the college years can
have a significant effect on time spent volunteering after
college
Students’ decisions to pursue careers in service fields are
influenced by service experiences in college
Personal Characteristics
Associated with Service
Involvement
Personality Trait of Agreeableness
 Commitment to an Adult Identity
 Self-Awareness and Stability in SelfIdentity

How a Commitment to
Service Develops

Initial commitment




Feeling marginalized as a child
Death of a loved one
Living with a troubled family member
Sustained commitment



Mentor
Relationship with those in need
Faith
Relationship between
Gender and Service

Female students more likely to
volunteer than males

Males and females differ in volunteer
styles and types of programs for which
they volunteer
Relationship between
Faith and Service

Faith development accounts for much of
the variability among young adults’
commitment to service

The faith of young adults committed to
service is defined as “organized
religion,” as well as, “a personal
philosophy that emphasizes service”
Relationship between
Vocation and Service
The concept of vocation is an important
aspect of faith in the context of service
 The Christian perspective defines
vocation as “cooperation” in the Lord’s
work
 Common to all forms of Christian
vocation is the charge to love and serve
others

Limitations of Past
Research
Lacks systematic definition of faith or
method of examining faith
 Does not expand on students’ attitudes
concerning what constitutes a
commitment to service work

Present Study

Examined the nature of college
students’ commitment to service as part
of their life purpose
Students’ conceptions of a “life dedicated
to service”
 The relationship between faith attitudes
and behaviors and commitment to service
 The role of gender in service commitment

Method

Measures

Interview – 91 Participants



Service Commitment Dimensions Rubric
Service Commitment Levels
Web Survey – 65 Participants


Faith Attitude Scale
Faith Behavior Scale
Vocation Interview Question
We often hear about people who “dedicate their
lives to service.” What would a life dedicated to
service look like to you? Do you see yourself
incorporating service to others in your future
vocation?
Service Commitment
Dimensions
Specificity
How specific are one’s plans for service?
Sacrifice
What is a person willing to give and how much of what they
have are they willing to give?
Ideal/Actual
Discrepancy
How close is one’s example of a life dedicated to service to
one’s intended service?
Motivation
What inspires someone to serve? Whom should the service
benefit?
Intentionality To what degree does one seek out service?
Faith Attitude Scale
Subscale
Example Question
Strength of
religious belief
Most of the time I feel close to God
I have doubts about whether my religious beliefs
are true
Life application
faith
God’s calling
of I depend on my faith in God for decision-making
and direction
I spend a lot of time contemplating God’s will for
my life
I have a good sense about God’s purpose for my
life
Importance of faith
My faith is not very important to me
Faith Behavior Scale
Public
activity
How often do you take part in the activities and
organizations of a church or place of worship other than
attending services?
Private
activity
How often have you read the Bible in the last year?
Thinking about the present, about how often do you
pray?
Feeling
I feel God’s love for me, directly or through others
Results
Service Commitment Dimensions
 Service Commitment Levels
 Relationship between Service
Commitment Level and Faith Attitudes
and Behaviors
 Service Commitment and Ethnicity
 Service Commitment and Gender

Interview Rating Rules
Each interview rated by two researchers
 Higher dimension score used when
researcher scores disagreed
 Highest dimension score across all five
dimensions used to assign each student
to a Service Commitment Level

Percentage of Students’ Scores for
each Service Dimension
1
2
3
4
5
Specificity
0
18.7
33.0
46.2
2.2
Sacrifice
0
20.9
51.6
18.7
4.4
Ideal/Actual
Discrepancy
4.4
9.9
33.0
39.6
3.3
Motivation
0
6.6
61.5
13.2
13.2
14.3
50.5
13.2
0
Intentionality 12.1
Percentage of Students in
Service Commitment Levels
Level One
0
Level Two
2.2
Level Three
33.0
Level Four
48.4
Level Five
16.5
Example of Service Commitment
at Level Five
My grandma “dedicated her life to taking care of
others, and to her faith… she’d always be caring
and take the time to stop and listen…she’s
always served them on a daily basis.”
Vocation “definitely is more than your job… we
always fed people at the homeless shelter every
Sunday… As a physician I see myself serving
others everyday… through offering myself to
them as a person, as a friend.”
Example of Service Commitment
at Level Two
To me a life dedicated to service means that the
“whole life wouldn’t have to be constantly
serving people… just more like the sharing of
ideas and more people coming together… to
benefit a group of people… doesn’t have to
be something really gigantic.”
“In terms of my skills… I know [service] is
something I want to do… my life wouldn’t
really have meaning unless I did something
to help other people benefit… I’m not really
sure which way it will be right now...”
Service Commitment Level
and Faith Attitude Subscales
30
25
F
a
i
t
h
S 20
c
o 15
r
e 10
Importance
Application
Calling *
Strength
5
0
Three
Four
Five
Service Commitment Level
Service Commitment Level
and Faith Behavior Subscales
25
20
F
a
i
t
h
S
c 15
o
r 10
e
Feeling
Private Activity *
Public Activity *
5
0
Three
Four
Five
Service Commitment Level
Other Related Factors:
Ethnicity
60
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
50
40
NonCaucasian
Caucasian
30
20
10
0
Three
Four
Five
Service Commitment Level
Other Related Factors:
Gender
60
50
P
e 40
r
c 30
e
n 20
t
10
0
Males
Females
Three
Four
Five
Service Commitment Level
Correlations between Faith Scores
and Service Dimensions - Males
Specificity
Sacrifice
Ideal/Actual
Discrepancy
Motivation
Intentionality
Faith Attitudes
.075
.220
.086
.209
.105
Strength of belief
.050
.197
.116
.205
.088
Life application of faith
.137
.129
.012
.178
.354
Understanding of calling
.115
.193
.099
.169
.072
Importance of faith
-.144
-.006
-.049
.037
-.270
Faith Behaviors
.235
.352
.575**
.328
.306
Public religious activity
.259
.085
.436*
.163
.412
Private religious activity
.178
..496*
.591**
.334
.255
Spiritual feelings
.227
.248
.495*
.339
.219
Dimensions
Faith Scores
Correlations between Faith Scores
and Service Dimensions - Females
Specificity
Sacrifice
Ideal/Actual
Discrepancy
Motivation
Intentionality
Faith Attitudes
-.064
.438**
.432**
.241
.141
Strength of belief
-.170
.345*
.356*
.276
.065
Life application of faith
-.036
.298
.301
.168
.074
Understanding of calling
.038
.490**
.431**
.148
.173
Importance of faith
-.028
.259
.271
.236
.076
Faith Behaviors
-.063
.419**
.463**
.281
.064
Public religious activity
.198
.372*
.340*
.160
.089
Private religious activity
-.141
.314
.401*
.294
.037
Spiritual feelings
-.105
.433**
.443**
.203
.069
Dimensions
Faith Scores
Conclusions

Stronger commitment to service is associated
with stronger faith attitudes and more
frequent faith behaviors



Personal sense of calling
Public and private faith activities
Service commitment is related to ethnicity as
well as gender


Non-Caucasian students show a stronger
commitment to service
Females show a stronger commitment to service
Conclusions
For males, service commitment was associated with
faith behaviors only
 For females, service commitment was associated with
both faith behaviors and faith attitudes
 Service commitment dimensions most related to faith




sacrifice (females)
ideal/actual discrepancy (both males and females)
Service, as an important component of vocation,
should be discussed in the context of faith
development in order to help students in discerning
their vocational callings