The psychological type profile of Anglican churchgoers in England: compatible or incompatible with their clergy?

Temperament Theory and Congregation Studies: Different Types for Different Services?

“…The first hypothesis is that the congregations at the two morning services are unlikely to depart significantly from the profile of the congregations reported by Francis, Robbins, and Craig (2011). The second hypothesis is that the congregation at the evening service is, in comparison with the profile of the congregations reported by Francis, Robbins, and Craig (2011), likely to contain a significantly lower proportion of the Epimethean Temperament (SJ), with a consequent significantly higher proportion of the other three temperaments. …”

“…The largest and most authoritative study of the psychological type profile of Anglican congregations in England was provided by Francis, Robbins, and Craig (2011), on data provided by 3,304 participants attending 140 congregations. This study reported on the type profiles of male and female churchgoers separately and compared these profiles with the population norms provided by Kendall (1998).…”

“…Reviewing the data presented on Anglican congregations in England by Francis, Robbins, and Craig (2011) Congregations shaped by and for the Epimethean Temperament (SJ) may provide the ideal environment within which this temperament can thrive and flourish. At the same time, it may appear a less attractive environment for the other three temperaments.…”

“…Studies like Francis, Robbins, and Craig (2011) and Francis, Clymo, and Robbins (2014) have followed the same research model of aggregating data from individual congregations (drawn respectively from conventional church and from Fresh Expressions of church) and have examined the profiles of male and female churchgoers separately. A strength in this approach is that it facilitates direct comparisons with the profiles published for males and females by Kendall (1998) that provide a form of population norms.…”

“…More recent studies in England and Wales have reported on 101 Anglicans (Craig, Francis, Bailey, & Robbins, 2003), 372 Anglicans (Francis, Duncan, Craig, & Luffman, 2004), 158 Anglicans (Francis, Butler, Jones, & Craig, 2007), 185 Anglicans (Francis, Robbins, Williams, & Williams, 2007), 290 Anglicans (Village, Francis, & Craig, 2009), 3,304 Anglicans (Francis, Robbins, & Craig, 2011), 1,156 churchgoers from a range of denominations (Village, Baker, & Howart, 2012), 105 Greek Orthodox Christians (Lewis, Varvatsoulias, & Williams, 2012), 403 attenders at a cathedral carol service (Walker, 2012), 76 Anglicans (Francis, 2013), and 281 attenders at a cathedral Sunday service (Lankshear & Francis, 2015). In Australia studies have been reported on 1,527 churchgoers across 18 denominations and 1,476 Roman Catholics .…”