The Protestant Ethic Thesis: A Social-Psychological Assessment

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Abstract
It is no exaggeration to say that subsequent evidence in support of Weber' thesis has been historical and “institutional.” Conversely, almost all research claiming to negate the thesis has involved social-psychological variables. A review of this latter research, however, reveals no instance where the relationship between a Protestant Ethic attitude and a capitalistic spirit attitude is investigated. Instead, the former is inferred from one' church affiliation or involvement and/or the latter is inferred from one' class standing, upward mobility, or the like. Using college students as subjects, the research reported here measures a worldview identified as “innerworldly ascetic” (i.e., applicable to more than Protestants) and investigates its relationship with a number of rational capitalistic attitudes.

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