Trends in Religiosity (Members)

Question 1

What are the 4 reasons as to why women are more likely to attend church than men?

Answer 1

• gender role socialisation
• supplement of being primary care-giver
• women are more spiritual
• suffer from deprivation

Question 2

According to Millar and Hoffman (1995), how does gender role socialisation lead to women being more religious than men?

Answer 2

More religious due to the norms and values they are socialised into
They give 3 reasons

Question 3

According to Millar and Hoffman (1995), what are the 3 reasons why gender role socialisation means women are more religious than men?

Answer 3

1. risk averse (practice religion to be safe, do not want to be punished in afterlife)
2. passive and obedience (want to follow structure and rules)
3. caring (lives revolve around care, meaning they are attracted to religion)

Question 4

According to Davie (2003), why does gender role socialisation mean women are more religious than men?

Answer 4

Closer to birth and death than men, meaning they are more likely to question life and use religion as a tool to do this

Question 5

Evaluation of the view gender role socialisation means women are more religious than men?

Answer 5

Gender role socialisation is changing

Question 6

According to Bruce, how does women being the primary care giver mean they are more religious than men?

Answer 6

Women have more time for church because they spend fewer hours each week in work than men do. Also, religion is closely connected to family life meaning women want to attend church to learn how to adequately teach their children norms and values. Use worship to integrate their children into a religious community

Question 7

According to Heelas and Woodhead, how does women being the primary care giver mean they are more religious than men?

Answer 7

Christianity is becoming increasingly feminised, with there being more religious leaders that are women nowadays which has made it more attractive

Question 8

Evaluation of the view that the women being the primary care giver means they are more religious than men?

Answer 8

Women are becoming more economically active

Question 9

According to sociologists, why are women more spiritual meaning they are more likely to be religious than men?

Answer 9

More interested in NAM than men, women want to promote wellbeing. Found that 80% of NAMs members were female in the Kendal Project Study
There are 3 main reasons

Question 10

According to Heelas and Woodhead, what are the 3 reasons as to why women are more spiritual than men meaning they are more religious?

Answer 10

1. women associated with nature and healing
2. “role conflict”
3. different class groups

Question 11

According to Heelas and Woodhead, how does women being associated with nature and healing mean they are more likely to be spiritual than men, making them more religious?

Answer 11

Because they rear children and look after the elderly and sick more likely to be driven towards NAM which supplement this such as yoga and meditation

Question 12

According to Heelas and Woodhead, “role conflict” mean they are more likely to be spiritual than men, making them more religious?

Answer 12

Conflict between public and private sphere. Women are now in paid employment and are still expected to be the primary caregiver (public v private). Women feel conflict meaning they turn to NAMs to promote self worth

Question 13

According to Bruce, how do different class groups mean they are more likely to be spiritual than men, making them more religious?

Answer 13

Different class groups attracted to different NAMs. Middle class women (often in paid work) likely to be attracted to ones that promote self improvement and wealth. Working class are more fatalistic, attracting them to cult like activities which support their stance on the world.

Question 14

Evaluation of the view that women are more spiritual than men meaning they are more likely to be religious?

Answer 14

No empirical nature to suggest they are close with nature

Question 15

According to Stark and Bainbridge, how are women more likely to suffer from deprivation meaning they are more likely to be religious than men?

Answer 15

Women more likely to be involved in sect like activity, because they suffer from deprivation.
1. organicism = women likely to suffer from health issues
2. ethical = more likely to be morally conservative and concerned about social change
3. social = more likely to be poorer, pay gap, discrimination e.c.t.
World rejecting sects protect these values

Question 16

Evaluation of the view that women are likely to suffer from deprivation meaning they are more likely to be religious than men?

Answer 16

Fails to explain why men are attracted to these sects

Question 17

What are the two reasons for ethnic differences in religiosity?

Answer 17

• cultural defence theory

- cultural transition theory

Question 18

According to Bruce, how does the cultural defence theory meaning ethnic minorities are more likely to be religious?

Answer 18

In a white dominated society, EMs may be subject to hostility in the form of racism and xenophobia. Religion can be used to help people feel safeguarded and protected from such hostility whilst providing them with a community made up of people with similar backgrounds. For example, in the 1950s, Caribbean migration to the UK was heavy, and despite being Christian, were not welcomed by white churches. They therefore set up their own religious establishments to retain their religious values e.g. mosques and synagogues

Question 19

Evaluation of the view that that cultural defence is a reason why EMs are more religious?

Answer 19

Less racism and more embracement of diversity

Question 20

According to Herberg (1995), how does the cultural transition theory mean EMs are more religious?

Answer 20

Religion is a powerful tool for first generation migrants to help them cope. Use religion to forge links with people who have similar value, giving them a sense of connection to their home country. This is why Protestant Christianity is most dominant in the USA, these were the earliest migrants to arrive in the USA and helped them cope with the transition to a new society. Similar thing has happened in the UK with Asian and African migration

Question 21

Evaluation of the view that cultural transition theory is a reason why EMs are more religious?

Answer 21

Why are 3rd and 4th generation migrants religious

Question 22

What are the 3 reasons for age differences in religiosity?

Answer 22

• ageing effect
• cohort effect
• secularisation

Question 23

Explain the ageing effect as to why older people are more likely to be religious?

Answer 23

When people get older, mortality grows closer so they begin to worry about the afterlife. As such attend church “just in case” to get a good afterlife

Question 24

Explain the cohort effect as to why older people are more religious?

Answer 24

Where people born during certain time periods are more or less likely to be religious depending on the events that occurred during that time. War time generation VS

Question 25

Explain why secularisation means older people are more likely to be religious?

Answer 25

As each new generation is born, they are less likely to be religious. Religion therefore has declining influence over people’s lives over time. Cultural amnesia e.c.t