Explaining religiosity: towards a unified theoretical model

Area of Science:

• Sociology of religion
• Psychology of religion
• Social theory

Background:

• Existing theories of religiosity (deprivation, regulation, socialization, cultural production, ethnicity) are often studied in isolation.
• A comprehensive framework is needed to understand the interplay of these factors in explaining diverse religious expressions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a unified theoretical model integrating key theories of religiosity.
• To explain individual and collective differences in Christian and 'alternative' religiosity.
• To empirically test the integrated model using Swiss data.

Main Methods:

• Reconstruction and integration of major religiosity theories into a rational-action framework.
• Empirical testing using representative survey data from Switzerland.
• Statistical analysis to identify significant explanatory mechanisms for different religiosity types.

Main Results:

• The unified model demonstrates that religiosity theories are complementary, not exclusive.
• In Switzerland, Christian religiosity is primarily explained by religious socialization.
• Alternative religiosity in Switzerland is significantly influenced by deprivation, gender, and age.

Conclusions:

• The integrated model provides a robust framework for understanding religiosity.
• Empirical findings support the complementary nature of different religiosity mechanisms.
• Specific mechanisms differentially explain Christian versus alternative religious expressions.