Domains Of Family Life Research Articles

Salience as a Condition for Various Social Consequences of Religious Commitment

Past researchers showed that Christian religion has consequences in the realm of church social action and social issues only for persons with high religious salience. Using nationwide survey data on American Christians we replicated these analyses using 33 different measures of possible consequences. The results varied from value area to value area. Religious beliefs have direct impact on values in only a limited realm mostly the domains of family life, sexuality, and personal honesty; they have no direct impact on most political and economic attitudes. The specification model found in the past with regard to church social action was found only with regard to three political values, and only among better-educated persons. An opposite pattern was found on three consequences in the areas of ratings of church adequacy, traditional sexuality, and respect for authority. The consequences of religion vary greatly from value area to value area. Future research must be articulate about the specific values it is studying.