The evolution of secularization: cultural transmission, religion and fertility—theory, simulations and evidence

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. www.econstor.eu (2000, 2001a), it is assumed that cultural/social norms are transmitted from one generation to the next one via two venues: (i) direct socialization -across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization -within generations, by the community and cultural environment. This paper focuses on the transmission of religious norms and in particular on the 'religious taste for children'. The theoretical framework describes the setting and the process leading to secularization of the population; the simulations give more insight into the process; and 'secularization regressions' estimate the effects of the various explanatory variables on secularization (that is measured by rare mass-attendance and by rare-prayer), lending support to corollaries derived from the theory and simulations. The main conclusions/findings are that (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complements in 'producing' religiosity of the next generation. Terms of use: Documents in D I S C U S S I O N P A P E R S E R I E SJEL Classification: C15, C25, D13, J11, J13, Z12

Religious Pro-Sociality? Experimental Evidence from a Sample of 766 Spaniards

“…An extensive literature claims that values and norms (including religious norms) are transmitted across generations (e.g., [46], [47], [17]). The relatively large sample of NRs who were previously Catholic (94 out of 240 who are currently NRs were raised as Catholics and at some stage in life converted to NR), can be used to answer this interesting question.…”

The association between religious homogamy and reproduction

“…The total number of women being heterogamously married and also childless (22), however, is very low. In the general linear mixed model regressing on number of children, religious homogamy and attendance at religious services are significantly positively, whereas the woman's age at marriage and her wages are significantly negatively associated with her number of children (table 3).…”

Social networks and parental behavior in the intergenerational transmission of religion

“…The estimated "relative intolerance" parameters are high and asymmetric across religious traits, suggesting an interestingly rich representation of cultural distance. More recently, using data from 32 countries (included in the International Social Survey Program: Religion II (ISSP), 1998), Bar-El, Garcia-Muñoz, Neuman, and Tobol (2013) study the transmission of religious norms and, in particular, on the religious taste of children. They find that (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on secularization within the next generation, (ii) there is an inverse U-shaped relationship between oblique socialization by the community (as measured by the diversity of religions in the country of residence) and secularization, and (iii) the two types of socialization are complements in producing religiosity of the next generation.…”