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The relation between sexual behavior and religiosity subtypes: a test of the secularization hypothesis
Melissa A Farmer1, Paul D Trapnell, Cindy M Meston
1Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|October 8, 2008
Summary
Young adults
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Religion
- Psychology of Religion
- Human Sexuality
Background:
- Previous research on religion and sexual behavior used narrow definitions of religiosity.
- The secularization hypothesis suggests a growing divide between religious doctrine and behavior.
- Rising fundamentalist and new age movements necessitate re-examining religion's link to sexual behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between young adults' sexual behavior and religiosity.
- To test the secularization hypothesis using dual measures of religiosity.
- To explore how religious subtypes influence sexual behavior.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 1302 young adults (mean age 18.77).
- Measured sexual behavior using religious affiliation and subtypes (paranormal belief, spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, fundamentalism).
- Analyzed data in the context of the secularization hypothesis.
Main Results:
- Religious affiliation showed few differences in sexual behavior.
- Spirituality, fundamentalism, and paranormal belief statistically predicted sexual behaviors.
- Fundamentalism correlated with lower female sexual behavior.
Conclusions:
- Religious affiliation alone is insufficient to understand religion's impact on sexual behavior.
- Religious subtypes offer valuable insights into the complex religion-sexuality link.
- Findings partially support and contradict the secularization hypothesis.
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