Is Religiosity in a Prospective Partner Always Desirable? The Moderating Roles of Shared Social Identity and Medium of Communication when Choosing Interaction Partners

Chris Stiff

doi:10.1007/s12144-016-9437-z

Abstract

The profession of religion gives rise to myriad inferences and connotations, yet surprisingly little research has examined how it may influence with whom we choose to work. Two experiments conducted at a UK university investigated how religiosity by prospective collaborators affected attitudes and behaviour towards them. Participants in experiment 1 (N = 96) and experiment 2 (N = 120) demonstrated that individuals have a greater preference for, and are more likely to choose, a partner who shares their religious tendencies, but only when they anticipate working face-to-face. When electronic communication was anticipated, this bias disappeared. The implications for these findings are then discussed, particularly with regard to how they may impact on real-life issues such as online recruitment.

Highlights

The profession of religion gives rise to myriad inferences and connotations, yet surprisingly little research has examined how it may influence with whom we choose to work
In the 2011 UK Census, three-quarters of the population of the UK reported they followed some kind of religion, which included 33 million Christians, and 2 million Muslims (BReligion in England and Wales^, 2011)
We aim to examine a novel aspect of religion in social psychology; namely, its influence in the dynamic context of choosing interaction partners

Summary

Introduction

The profession of religion gives rise to myriad inferences and connotations, yet surprisingly little research has examined how it may influence with whom we choose to work. Participants in experiment 1 (N = 96) and experiment 2 (N = 120) demonstrated that individuals have a greater preference for, and are more likely to choose, a partner who shares their religious tendencies, but only when they anticipate working face-to-face. Other studies have demonstrated the positive connotations associated with religiosity. In a related study by Cook et al (2000), college students were asked to brainstorm the ideas and concepts they immediately thought of when considering a hypothetical target who professed religiousness. These impressions were overwhelmingly positive, with participants giving greater weight to traits such as Bpeacefulness^ and Bstriving for good^. These links are well known outside of academic texts, often becoming apparent through the teaching

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Conclusion