7.5 Case Studies

Question 1

A 2015 Survey of 9000 adults

Answer 1

Conducted in the UK for people born in 1970 found that:

• Men were twice as likely to believe that God did not exist compared to women.
• 54% of men reported that they were either atheist of agnostics compared to only 34% of women.
• Women were also twice as likely to believe in an afterlife compared to men.

Question 2

A 2013 report by the charity TearFund

Answer 2

Found that UK churches are attended by 65% women and 35% men.

Question 3

Lizardo and Collett

Answer 3

Demonstrated the following:

• Women raised by highly educated mothers show lower religiosity than those raised by less educated mothers.
• A mother’s education has little effect on men’s chances of being irreligious.
• A father’s education has little effect on gender differences in religiosity.