P 97 Personality and the Practice of Ministry

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Statistical Tables

The accompanying Grove Pastoral booklet has been written as far as possible to make sense to readers who are unfamiliar with the technical vocabulary and statistical notations of a quantitative approach to personality psychology and empirical theology. At the same time, enough statistical detail has been given below to allow the argument to be properly assessed and evaluated by those with a professional interest in psychology. It may be helpful, therefore, to explain how to read the scientific notation.

Two statistical tests of association are employed in this booklet. In chapter 3, analysis of variance (F) is used to test whether there is a significant difference between mean scores recorded by different groups. Elsewhere the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) is used to test the association between two variables. In understanding the meaning of both of these statistics the notion of probability is important. We are looking for relationships which are unlikely to have occurred by mere chance. The five percent level of probability (.05) says that the association could have occurred five times in a hundred by chance; the one present level of probability (.01) says that the association could have occurred only once in a hundred times by chance; the point one percent level of probability (.001) says that the association could have occurred only once in a thousand times by chance. The lower the chance probability, the more confidence we can place in the findings. When there is no significance in the reported statistics this is indicated by the convention NS (not significant).

Table 3.1 Extraversion scores by denomination

F = 3.78, P<.01

Table 3.2 Neuroticism scores by denomination

F = 3.23, P<.01

Table 3.3 Psychoticism scores by denomination

Table 3.4 Personality and frequency of glossolalia

Table 4.1 Personality and size of membership

Table 4.2 Personality and proportion of male members

Table 4.3 Induction strategies emphasised by high E pastors

Table 5.1 Role priorities emphasised by high E pastors

Table 5.2 Role priorities emphasised by high N pastors

Table 5.3 Role priorities emphasised by high P pastors

Table 5.4 Role priorities emphasised by low P pastors

Table 5.5 Proportion of pastoral care emphasised by high E pastors

Table 5.6 Proportion of pastoral care emphasised by high N pastors

Table 6.1 Personality and physical health

Table 6.2 Personality and mental health

Table 6.3 Personality and spiritual health

Table 6.4 Personality and thoughts of leaving ministry

Table 6.5 Personality and exhaustion

Table 6.6 Personality and in-service training

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