ATTITUDES ON INTERFAITH DATING AMONG JEWISH ADOLESCENTS - CONTEXTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

Attitudes toward interfaith dating are a pertinent topic to investigat e among groups characterized by endogamous marital patterns. In the pr esent investigation, this topic is examined among Jewish adolescents l iving in minority and majority community contexts. This study offers a n extension of previous research by drawing on theory from the social psychology of attitudes to explore the roles of various contextual and developmental variables in attitudes toward interfaith dating. Qualit ative analysis was employed to identify attitudes and issues I indicat ive of varying degrees of willingness to interfaith date. Quantitative analysis (using discriminant function analysis) was employed to explo re the roles of various contextual and; developmental variables in the attitudes and issues expressed. More restrictive attitudes toward int erfaith dating were associated with majority adolescents, greater Orth odoxy, and more frequent religious participation.