Religious Practice as Social Exchange: An Explanation of the Empirical Findings

Abstract

Homans's version of learning theory shows a law-like relationship between reward and religious behavior. It accounts for the associations between frequency of attendance and distinctive beliefs and practices, and between age and church participation. It also explains how norms arise and why conformity to them is selective, and explains the sources of interpersonal influence and its limitations. It explains regularities found in changes of religious affiliation, the influence of education on both religious participation and health, and explains how religious symbols are created. It also accounts for religious continuities between generations and explains why Americans remain within one denomination, and for those who depart, why they return. It also explains associations between reward histories and expectation, which produce authority, status and esteem, between interaction and changes of religious affiliation, and between church participation and life satisfactions. Surveys of congregational members have been confounded by differential time spent in interaction with one another.