Religiosity and Generation Y

Nathan Harding:

Research regarding ReligiosityGeneration Y

There are significant differences between groups identifying with mainline religion and those that do not. Within these religious groups there is a further distinction between those who are actively engaged and those who disengaged with their religion. The affiliation of an adolescent with a religion or their affiliation with none, according to statistics, has a significant bearing on the behavioural characteristics that an individual exhibits.

The statistics covered in this paper are from nations such as the United States, Australia and Canada and largely have to do with Christianity because other religions are a small percentage of the population within these countries and are thus least represented in the surveys (Mason et al 2007; Smith et al 2003; Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006).

Discuss differences between Groups

There are three religious groups discussed in this paper that are relevant to adolescent association with their individual religiosity. The first are those associated with mainline religion. The second are those identified as non-religious. The third are those belonging to cults. All three are identified by various adolescents as describing their degree of religiosity.

Mainline Religions

Mainline religions (e.g. Judaism, Christianity, Islam) are identified as religions that hold the belief in the existence of God, view faith as important and values at least some active participation within its community. Though there are similarities amongst the mainline religions there are also differences noted in the surveys between them. The results of a survey taken amongst Gen Y adolescents asking them whether they felt God related to them personally revealed that less than half of those that identified with the category of other religions (religions other than Christianity) felt that God related to them personally whereas the majority of adolescents (76%) identifying themselves as Christian felt that God related to them on a personal level (Mason et al 2007, 88). Other statistics found that those identifying themselves with other religions had a stronger belief in the life after death than did those within Christianity (Mason et al 2007, 139). Stats also found that amongst Gen Y the highest sense of feeling welcomed within a religious community (92%) was found amongst those within the ‘Other Religions’ category (Mason et al 2007, 139). Though there are differences amongst mainline religions and the feelings of Gen Ys’ within these religions there are many similarities and values amongst Gen Y adherents.

Non-Religious

Generation Y adolescents within the non-religious category are generally classified as individuals that do not believe in God. Instead many affiliated with this category believe that there is a higher force or being other than the traditional religious view of God (Mason et al 2007, 139). However, this group is not without religious ideas. In fact they hold some ideas that are very religious in nature, e.g. 42 percent believe in life after death (Mason et al 2007, 139). Mason, Singleton and Webber (2007, 139) say that this type of, ‘… “religious opinion” … seems to have few practical consequences in terms of impact on a person’s life’. It is interesting to note that those that do not identify with any religion, ‘… report that they do pray’ (Smith et al 2003, 118).

Cults

Cults are the third type of distinct group that should be mentioned in a discussion regarding categories of religiosity and Generation Y. Cults are significantly different to any other category within the religious landscape and they specifically target adolescents (Richmond 2004, 367). While religious involvement with mainline religions is significantly influenced by parental involvement and encouragement and peer influence (Mason et al 2007; Sinha et al 2007) Adolescent involvement in cults are usually driven by a sense of alienation from parents, rebellious attitudes towards authority figures, sense of instability in the world and a sense of isolation from peers (Richmond 2004, 368-69). Some cults are also characterized by a destructive element. Adolescents involved in cults are exposed to unhealthy psychological processes, manipulation and mind controlling techniques in order to gain control of the cult member (Richmond 2004, 367). Though cults are a small portion of the population in regard to Christianity it is still an important religious category in a discussion involving Generation Y because cults specifically target adolescents and there is an increased susceptibility of Generation Y towards cults because of the current climate of increasing number of broken families and a continuing sense of global instability.

A further Distinction amongst Adolescents who Affiliating Themselves with Religion

To understand Generation Y religiosity one must understand that amongst adolescents who affiliate themselves with the religious category there is a further distinction between two types of individuals. This distinction is between those that are engaged and those that are disengaged with their particular religious affiliation (Barna 2007; Clark 2009; Cnaan et al 2003; Sinha et al 2007). Lam (cited in Sinha et al 2007, 234) noted that there is a difference between commitment to the practices of a particular religion, active participation in religious activities and identifying with the beliefs of a particular religion. The best way to illustrate this phenomenon of engagement and disengagement found within the statistics is through categorising three different levels of religious affiliation.

The lowest level is an individual that identifies themself with a particular religion. Individuals in this level of religious affiliation identify with a particular religion, its core beliefs (e.g. Belief in God) and the importance of their faith. Despite their belief that faith is important one-third of Generation Y in this level do, ‘… not attend religious worship’ (Cnaan et al 2003, 188). Identification with a religion does not necessarily mean that faith is important to you. Stats say that youth who identify themselves with a religion say that their faith is ‘not important’ and never perform a basic religious practice like ‘praying’ (Smith et al 2003, 120). Most adolescents who identify with a faith cannot articulate specifics concerning their faith and show little example of how it impacts, ‘… their lives’ (Cnaan et al 2003, 188). Identification is the lowest level of affiliation because it does not infer a high value of religious faith; adherence to specific beliefs or participation involving basic practices of faith.

The second level includes those who are active participants in their religion. The Statistics seem to show that attendance is the next level up from identification in an individual’s level of affiliation. Cnaan, Gelles and Sinha (2004, 188) found roughly the same statistics that two-thirds of adolescents cited, along with a personal value of their faith, an active participation in religious activities. Although 68% adolescents involved in religious activities say that they go on their own accord there is a significant correlation between adolescent attendance and parent participation within the religious community. There could be many reasons for an adolescent who affiliates himself/herself on the second level of affiliation, but it does not specifically signify whether or not religious faith is important to the individual. Barna (2007, 8) carried out a survey within the Christian community and commented that, ‘Not even half our young people (46 percent) state that their religious faith is very important in their lives’. The second level of active participation is a further step towards a higher degree of religiosity and religious affiliation in an adolescent’s life.

The third and highest level is linked with individuals who identify themselves as committed to their religion. Stats show a clear distinction between those who view faith as important (81%); those who allow their religious views to effect their behaviour (69%) and those who state they are committed to their faith (26%) (Smith et al 2003, 117). Barna (2007) illustrates this higher level of commitment amongst some individuals within the Christian community. These individuals identify themselves as born again. The percentage within the Christian community is small (Barna 2007; Smith et al 2003). Smith (2003, 120) states that as little as 26% identify themselves as born again with the vast majority (74%) of Gen Y affiliated with Christianity identifying themselves as not born again. Barna stats define these individuals as having embraced fundamentals of the faith, such as, ‘… Jesus … as … saviour … the Bible as the guide for life … seek to live in obedience … [articulate] … relationship with God’, and they, ‘… live in ways that are noticeably different … compared to the average’ individual participating in religious activities (2007, xvi). Commitment to faith seems to be the highest level of affiliation identified in the research regarding Generation Y and their religiosity.

Difference in Behaviours of Religious and None-religious Gen. Y’s

Within Generation Y there are significant differences in the behaviour of adolescents who identify themselves as religious and those who do not. The following are five behaviours that are significantly influenced by the religiosity of an adolescent.

Frequency of Pray

The first behaviour to be analysed is the act of prayer. Those who adhere to religious belief are more likely to pray with more frequency than those who are not or less religious. There is a high correlation between youth that identify faith as very important and youth that pray frequently, i.e. daily. Smith et al (2003, 120) reports that, ‘… 68 percent of American youth with some religious affiliation’, and who have indicated that faith is a very important part of their life said that they prayed, ‘… daily’ and a further 89 percent said they pray either daily or weekly. Though the three survey’s that smith cites reveals that the majority of American youth pray it also shows the less religious a teen was the less frequent they prayed (2003, 118, 120).

Incorporation of Media in Identity Construction

The second behaviour is the utilizing of media in the construction of individual identity. Adolescents who identify themselves as less or not at all religious allow the media significant influence in their individual identity construction. Clark (2009) found that amongst teens she interviewed media played a role in their ‘religious identity construction’ particularly amongst those teens that were less religious or did not identify themselves with mainline religion. Clark (2009, 14) interviewed two teenage girls who drew upon the ‘media representations’ and films such as ‘The Craft’ in their ‘identity construction’ despite their parents efforts. The media has a significant role in Generation Y’s religious identity construction particularly those teens who are identified as less religious.

Television Selection

The third behaviour influenced is the selection of television programming choices. The degree of religiosity of Generation Y adolescents has an effect on their television program choices. The link between religion and the consumption and choice of television programs might often be overlooked and even considered irrelevant. Bobkowski (2009, 57) reveals that this could not be further from the truth and in fact cites religion as the strongest factor involved in adolescent television choices, ‘… religiosity plays a role in youths’ entertainment choices above and beyond demographic, socioeconomic, and parental variables’. The results of the showed that teens were making programming choices in light of their religious background and furthermore watched television programs that reinforced their ‘religious values’ (Bobkowski 2009, 66-67). It also revealed that adolescents who were not religious or were less religious were more likely to choose television that was ‘voyeuristic’, more sexually and violently explicit and watch more television then their significantly religious peers (Bobkowski 2009, 58). The religiosity of Gen Yers has a direct effect on their television choices.

The Degree of Religiosity associated with Adolescent Risk Behaviours

The last behaviour to be reviewed here is the result of the degree of religiosity upon involvement in risk behaviours. The studies reviewed in this paper show that those who are less religious or not religious are more likely to involve themselves in risk behaviours, e.g. smoking, alchohol abuse, truancy, sexual activity, marijuana use, and depression (Clark 2002; Sinha et al 2007). Sinha et al (2007, 245-6) state that when an adolescent’s level of religiosity decreases, ‘… their involvement in risk behaviour increases’. Whereas an Australian study involving 954 adolescents revealed that for teens, ‘… membership in a church or faith community was significant in reducing risk behaviors’ (Sinha et al 2007, 234). An example of this is out of all the girls surveyed who were not involved in sexual activity, ‘…44% cited religious or moral values as their motivation for abstinence’ (Sinha et al 2007, 245). ‘Increased religious perception and increased religious behaviors [sic] are generally’, cited as the cause of decreased ‘youth risk behaviors[sic]’ (Sinha et al 2007, 243).

The four behaviours discussed above show the behavioural choices and differences made by those who have little to know connection with religiosity and those that do is significant.

Conclusions

There are definite differences between the various religious group that Generation Y affiliate themselves with and further behavioural differences between religious teens and non-religious teens. Though statistics state that the religiosity of teens will effect their behaviour inclinations towards either pro-social behaviour or negative risk behaviours it must be said that these are generalizations and descriptions of general trends within Generation Y and not a concrete picture of every Generation Y adolescent’s individual morality and behaviour. However it is evident in general observation that Adolescents not adhering to a specific religion can have strong moral and ethical convictions and adolescents that have some kind of religious affiliation can illustrate a lack of moral or ethical conduct and be involved in those activities associated with risk behaviours. According to the stats reviewed in this paper despite the differences between the various religious groups there is one definite common trait: those who affiliate themselves with religion exhibit higher pro-social behaviour and are less prone to risk behaviours then non-religious youths and the great degree of an adolescent’s affiliation with religion the better.

Bibliography

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