Subject:
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Center for Religion and Contemporary Society (CRCS) Inequality Cohesion Rationalization Ongelijkheid Cohesie Rationalisatie |
Organization:
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Leerstoel Empirische en praktische religiewetenschap SW OZ RSCR SOC |
Journal title:
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Review of Religious Research
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Abstract:
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In many secular Western countries, women continue to demonstrate higher levels of religiosity than men. But why does this religious gender gap persist? In this research note, we set out to explain the religious gender gap in the Netherlands for three dimensions of religiosity: belief in God, frequency of prayer and frequency of church attendance. Using high quality national representative survey data from LISS (Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social sciences), an empirical model is built combining social and psychological determinants. We find that the experience of health restrictions, the personality trait conscientiousness and the gender orientation masculinity contribute to an explanation for the gender gap in the Netherlands regarding all three dimensions of religiosity. For belief in God and frequency of prayer, an additional psychological explanation comes from the gender orientation femininity.
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