Religious Discrimination Toward Other Religious Groups by Descendants of Religiously Heterogamous Versus Homogamous Parents

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a model that explains personal attitudes toward religious groups and the role of parental religious heterogamy and homogamy. The sample included 32,595 participants from 26 countries around the world and was obtained from the International Social Survey Programme. Participants whose parents were religiously homogamous presented higher well-being, better health perception, and higher religiosity than participants whose parents were religiously heterogamous. Having had parental heterogamy or homogamy is a moderator of the relationship between religious practice and attitudes toward religious groups, with this relationship being stronger among participants who had parental homogamy. Religious variables are directly related to heterogamy/homogamy and indirectly related to well-being and personal attitude toward religious groups through parents’ religious heterogamy/homogamy. Religious variables are related to personal attitudes toward religious groups through patents’ religious heterogamy/homogamy and well-being. Participants whose parents are religiously heterogamous present a more negative attitude toward Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews, and participants whose parents are religiously homogamous present a more negative attitude toward atheists or nonbelievers. In the context of globalization and the merging of cultures, these results open new research questions and may support religious, spiritual, and clinical practitioners in their approach to religious discrimination.