Reigiosity and Age

Religiosity and Gender

• Women are most likely to attend church and say they belong to a particular religion - This idea is noteable through the idea that women are considered the ''caregiver'' and therefore going to church and raising children to believe in religion is simply an extension of their role.
• Diffrential socialisation - Women are socialised into being passive and confroming which fits in with the idea of traditional and conservative religious groups.
• Women live longer than men - They are on their own as they grow older - Turn to religion for a sense of community.
• More men than women dropped religion, as in the 20th century men are associated with rationalisation and have turned their back on religion.

Feminist views...

•  
  • Beauvoir - Religion oppresses and exploits women. Suggests that if women suffer in present life they will be rewarded with equality in the afterlife.
  • Holm - Contempory religion exploits and subordinates women and gives men dominant roles.

• In England and Wales nearly all ethnic minority groups are more religious and practice their religon more than white groups.
• Johal - In multi-faith societies religious identity is important for ethinic minority groups.
  • Many muslim girls feel liberated by wearing the headscarf and dressing modestly as they're not subject to the same stereotyping as non-muslim girls.
• South Asians - Religion acted as a support mechanism for immigrants allowing them to share their culture. 
  • Bruce called this cultural transition.
• Modood and Saeed found evidence for decline in religious participation amongst Asians in the UK. 
  • Possibly as a result of 2nd generation muslims lacking commitment compared to their parents, or possibily the adoption of a 'Brasian' (British and Asain combined) culture.

Religiosity and Age

Age affects how religous people are 

• People under 15 and over 65 are the most likely groups to participate in religious activity. (Under 15's = Sunday schools, religious playgroups) - Might not be by choice?
• Over 65's most religious group, howver don't neccasserily practice their beliefs in church as mobility might be an issue?
• Middle aged groups likely to joing world affirming NRM's.
• Sects and cults are popular with young adults.

Sects - Offer friendship and companionship which attracts young people as they might feel marginalised by society, and be experiencing anomie, also young people have less responsibilites and sects require high levels of commitment.

Cults - Appeal to the inner thoughts and feelings of young people who feel alienated/marginalised in society. People who tend to be in counter-cultures are likely to join cultic movements. E.g. The hippie movement. 

• Young adults may be less religious as they've been socialised into rationalisation and don't need religion as a means of explanation.