Adolescent Network Composition and Religious Decline

• In Event: 341 - Section on Sociology of Religion Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 04. Religion and Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Abstract: What predicts the religious decline of emerging adults? Past research has highlighted the importance of religious tradition and relational factors. This paper is positioned at the intersection of these two research traditions, focusing on differences in network composition by religious tradition. Using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Youth and Religion (including heretofore unused network measures), I test whether adolescent network composition can predict declines in religious attendance among emerging adults, and whether the importance of adolescent network composition varies by denomination. I find that the proportion of friends involved with religious youth groups is especially important in predicting the religious declines of Conservative Protestants.

Author

• Michael Lee Wood, University of Notre Dame