Gender

Question 1

What are the five explanations for gender differences in religiosity

Answer 1

Socialisation

Nurturing and motherhood

Closer to ultimate questions

Life expectancy

Compensation for deprivation

Question 2

Ao1 socialisation

Answer 2

Gender socialisation means that females are brought up to be more submissive passive and obedient, which means that they are more involved with feelings and caring

Girls are encouraged to adopt bedroom culture

These are qualities which are valued by religion. Followers are expected to follow church teachings.

Question 3

Ao3
Socialisation

Answer 3

Postmodernists believe bedroom culture may not be relevant today as society has changed
Women are more active and independent, not passive

Question 4

Ao1 nurturing and motherhood

Answer 4

Women’s socialisation into traditional femininity
Where they are expected to be less confrontational, less dominant , and more cooperative, and more caring

This would explain that involvement not just in mainstream denominations but also in religious sects and new age ideas for example yoga or meditation

These rules give women a greater focus on the family, and it is women, rather than men that are more likely to feel necessary to take charge of the children’s moral development and use religion for this

Question 5

Ao3
Nurturing and motherhood

Answer 5

Neo, conventional families is becoming more dominant to go against the expressive role idea
Women are breaking through the glass ceiling, for example, more females in managerial roles

Question 6

Ao1 closer to ultimate questions

Answer 6

Davie argues that women are more exposed to men to ultimate questions about life and death that religion answers

This is because of the biological involvement through childbirth and their participation in paid care jobs, for example, teachers nursing etc

Women also tend to be the main carer for children, elderly, sick and dying

Question 7

Ao3 closer to ultimate questions

Answer 7

Science is finding more answers due to the increase in secularisation
People turn to science more than religion, for example to explain medical conditions

Question 8

Ao1
Life expectancy

Answer 8

Women live longer than men, and this means them more likely to be widowed and living on their own as they grow older

They may therefore turn to religion for support and comfort

Question 9

Ao3
Life expectancy

Answer 9

Widows going to church maybe due to the social element rather than the religious element

Question 10

Ao1 compensation for deprivation

Answer 10

Women may participate in religion because of the compensators it offers. This means that religion makes up for what they may be missing.
Examples of this involves organismic deprivation, which is where women are more likely to suffer ill health and seek healing through religion

Social deprivation, where women are more likely to be poor. This may explain why they are more women in sects since these attract poorer groups.

Question 11

Ao3
Compensation for deprivation

Answer 11

Women may not be socially deprived as much as they used to be due to the change position of women which allows them to break through glass ceiling