Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 25 of 25
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
"I'Ll Stay Where You Want Me To Stay": How Latter-Day Saints Navigate Conflicting Social Values While Remaining Committed To Their Faith, Venice Jardine
"I'Ll Stay Where You Want Me To Stay": How Latter-Day Saints Navigate Conflicting Social Values While Remaining Committed To Their Faith, Venice Jardine
Theses and Dissertations
While recent efforts in religious studies have focused on why many Americans seem to be leaving religion entirely, much less is understood about why many others choose to remain committed to their faith--especially when they hold many of the same social values, doubts, or divergent opinions that others cite for leaving. Within a Latter-day Saint context especially, very little research has been done to explore the experiences of those navigating the complexities of competing ethical affordances while remaining committed to their faith. Through ethnographic research in both Salt Lake County and New York City, I document the patterns and processes …
Understanding Gendered Hierarchy In Highly Religious Couples, Jolyn C. Schraedel
Understanding Gendered Hierarchy In Highly Religious Couples, Jolyn C. Schraedel
Theses and Dissertations
Although religious beliefs often associate with gendered hierarchy in sociological studies, very few studies have examined religion and gendered hierarchy within intimate relationships. This study used an exemplary sample to explore how religious, heterosexual married couples view and possibly practice gendered hierarchy. Interviews from 77 highly religious, highly satisfied couples provided insight into the following themes: (1) the potential harm of hierarchy, (2) misunderstanding hierarchy, (3) rejection of hierarchy, and (4) acceptance of hierarchy. For couples who expressed acceptance of hierarchy, further exploration revealed subthemes explaining how they conceptualized this practice. Subthemes included (4a) mutual submission, (4b) joint discussion, and …
"This Whole Journey Was Sacred": Latter-Day Saint Parents' Process In Coming To Accept A Transgender Child, Julia Campbell Bernards
"This Whole Journey Was Sacred": Latter-Day Saint Parents' Process In Coming To Accept A Transgender Child, Julia Campbell Bernards
Theses and Dissertations
This grounded theory methodology (GTM) study examines the process of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in coming to accept a transgender or gender diverse (TGD) child. Data comes from interviews with 38 Latter-day Saint parents of TGD children and 130 Facebook posts from the same population. Data was analyzed using GTM in coding and theory construction. A model of Latter-day Saint parents' process in accepting a TGD child and the factors that impact that process is presented. The results indicate that coming to accept a TGD child tends to engage Latter-day Saint parents cognitively, emotionally, …
Authenticity Without Belief In Western Tibetan Buddhist Practice, Hannah Sharp-Wang
Authenticity Without Belief In Western Tibetan Buddhist Practice, Hannah Sharp-Wang
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a study of Tibetan Buddhism as practiced by adult converts in Utah. Semiotic ideology is a thread throughout the paper that functions as an explanatory mechanism for describing the ontological variations between beginning and seasoned practitioners. I show examples of clashing semiotic ideologies that demonstrate differing assumptions in understanding of how the world operates. In Chapter 2, I explore the concept of interiority and the taken for granted assumptions of religiosity in the West. The tensions introduced in Chapter 2 are addressed in Chapter 3, which explores how practitioners resolve concerns about authenticity through reliance on their …
God, Me, And Thee: Associations Between Religion, Sexuality, And Marital Connection, Rebecca Walker Clarke
God, Me, And Thee: Associations Between Religion, Sexuality, And Marital Connection, Rebecca Walker Clarke
Theses and Dissertations
There is a well-established and positive association between religiosity and marital satisfaction. What is less clear is the effect of religiosity on marital sexual outcomes, with research findings that have run the gamut from negative to positive. Given that most religions teach that marriage is the divinely appointed context for a sexual relationship, religious persons who are married and in sexual relationships could have a different experience with sex than those who are not in a marital sexual relationship. Although the majority of the population in the United States is religious, sex in religious marriages has received scant research attention. …
Student Identity And Inclusion: A Model For Sense Of Belonging At Brigham Young University, Jose Rodriguez
Student Identity And Inclusion: A Model For Sense Of Belonging At Brigham Young University, Jose Rodriguez
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Campus racial climate in universities across the United States have been linked to several aspects attributed to student success. One aspect of campus climate is sense of belonging, which is correlated with retention, graduation, and student satisfaction. This study seeks to understand sense of belonging and the factors that impact it. In studies across the country, white students have been found to experience a greater sense of belonging than students of color. I seek to discover the factors associated with belonging and their effects. Based on a logistic regression model, students of color and white students at BYU do have …
How Receiving And Providing Relational Compensators And Religious Expectations Influence Religious Experiences, Elisabeth R. Kimball
How Receiving And Providing Relational Compensators And Religious Expectations Influence Religious Experiences, Elisabeth R. Kimball
Theses and Dissertations
Much research has been done on the concept of why people remain religious, formulating Rational Choice Theory. This involves the idea of compensators and religious expectations. In addition, other research and subsequent theories go into the duality of religious expectations and relational compensators—these relational compensators include love, support, forgiveness, and kindness from others. However, research has rarely explicitly explored what reportedly encourages individuals to stay in religious institutions despite religious demands. Through qualitative interviews with 198 highly religious families, this study analyzed the various expectations and demands individuals and families encounter, as well as the relational blessings they report receiving …
Familiarity With Homosexuality “Changes Hearts”: What Lay Members And Former Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Think About Lgbp Issues, John Garbero
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Recently, the United States has become increasingly accepting of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals and their relationships. However, some conservative religions are hesitant or even unwilling to condone or to accept non-traditional lifestyles in their congregations. One such religious institution is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (from here on known as the LDS Church, the Mormon Church, or the Church). A recent body of research has attempted to gain a general understanding of these religious groups and their teachings regrading homosexuality. While these contributions are significant, a more detailed understanding regarding the views of lay members of …
The Racial Politics Of Secularity: Rethinking African-American Religiosity Through New Paradigms In Secularization Theory, Diana Christine Brown
The Racial Politics Of Secularity: Rethinking African-American Religiosity Through New Paradigms In Secularization Theory, Diana Christine Brown
Theses and Dissertations
Revisions to secularization theory over the past two decades call for reconceptualization of the relation between race and secularity. Structural theories— depicting secularization as the linear, straightforward decline of religion in modernity— commonly explain the tenacity of African-American religiosity as resulting from their marginalization in modern society, a product of educational and economic disparities. However, recent theories address the secular as a historically contingent, incidental phenomenon, what has been called an "accomplishment"; it merits substantive study in itself, carrying the distinct values, beliefs, and understandings of a particular social history. This new framework invites analysis of the racial assumptions embodied …
The Development Of Christianity In Contemporary China, Chu Yi Lu
The Development Of Christianity In Contemporary China, Chu Yi Lu
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research is to study the development of Christianity in contemporary China. It adds to the limited literature that explores how Christianity has developed as the fastest growing religion in China post the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The data derive from semi-structured and focus group interviews with Chinese Christians and field observation notes collected at both official and non-official Christian churches in Beijing. I found an ambivalent attitude toward the development of Christianity across different social levels in China. At the state level, the Chinese government expects Christianity to provide a much-needed stabilizing influence in an increasingly self-centered …
Qualitative Analysis Of Women Who Make Motherwork A Career Choice: Religious Minorities, Karen Adell Jensen
Qualitative Analysis Of Women Who Make Motherwork A Career Choice: Religious Minorities, Karen Adell Jensen
Theses and Dissertations
Interviews were conducted with 44 highly religious women from three demographics: Mennonite, Evangelical Christians and Cajun Catholics. The results provide insight into the reasons that faith appears to play a part in making motherwork a deliberate choice for many women. Comparing and contrasting the interviews within and between demographics as well as allowing for the influences of modern academia and media on attitudes toward motherwork grants voice to these often marginalized religious minorities. The resulting analysis shows that all of these women, to varying degrees, find value in motherwork. Each group seemed to have a perspective of this work which …
Interracial, Yet Intrafaith: Does A Common Religion Predict Higher Relationship Quality In Interracial Romantic Relationships?, Danielle Fenn
Interracial, Yet Intrafaith: Does A Common Religion Predict Higher Relationship Quality In Interracial Romantic Relationships?, Danielle Fenn
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between relationship quality and religious discrepancy of interracial couples who are either married or cohabiting. Two variables of religious discrepancy (religious affiliation discrepancy and religiosity discrepancy) were studied. The sample included three groups of interracial couples: Hispanic-white, Asian-white, and Black-white. The data were analyzed using a structural equation model and regression estimates of the three groups were compared. Results showed a significant relationship in only three of the 12 relationships between the two variables of religious discrepancy and relationship quality. Significant negative relationships were found between religious denomination discrepancy and …
Democracy Online: Immigration Discourse Over Time, Brian David Harris
Democracy Online: Immigration Discourse Over Time, Brian David Harris
Theses and Dissertations
The growth of internet communication has affected deliberative democracy by introducing new public spheres. One emerging public sphere is the discussion forum linked to online news sources. By analyzing 1,768 comments posted to a regional online news website, I discuss five key frameworks that commenters used to simplify the debate over immigration. I also find that extreme comments decreased in frequency over a two-year period while more moderate comments increased. In light of group polarization theory, this finding suggests that the forum is more like a single community with a fairly moderate average position to which people with differing opinions …
Mormon Fertility In Latin America, Kiira Elizabeth Fox
Mormon Fertility In Latin America, Kiira Elizabeth Fox
Theses and Dissertations
While previous research has identified religion as an influence of fertility, how context changes the nature of that relationship remains little understood. Using census data from Brazil, Chile and Mexico, this study examines whether the high fertility pattern of one pronatalist, American-born religion (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) translates to the Latin American context. Results indicate that it does, but only inconsistently as the pronatalist pattern is masked by members' educational attainment and mixed religion marriages. When these attributes are accounted for LDS fertility is high in Latin America, especially among the more educated. This study highlights …
The Influence Of Religious Attendance And Gender In Accessing High-Status Social Ties, James William Phillips
The Influence Of Religious Attendance And Gender In Accessing High-Status Social Ties, James William Phillips
Theses and Dissertations
Religious participation often influences the composition of one's social network, but less is known about the degree to which religious attendance increases access to highly-influential individuals who can offer potential advantages in terms of resource distribution. Using data from the Panel Study of American Religion and Ethnicity (PS-ARE) I examine the influence of religious attendance and gender on accessing high-status social ties, which are defined as having conversations with the highly educated, elected public officials, and congregation leaders. I estimate ordered logistic regression models and find that increased religious attendance is associated with greater odds of accessing high-status social ties. …
The Influence Of Religion On Immigrant Structural Assimilation In The Greater Los Angeles Area, Jason D. Simons
The Influence Of Religion On Immigrant Structural Assimilation In The Greater Los Angeles Area, Jason D. Simons
Theses and Dissertations
By operationalizing Gordon's definition of structural assimilation, I examine occupational prestige, income, and educational attainment across four immigrant groups: 1.5 generation, 2nd generation, 3rd generation, and 4th generation. Additionally, I analyze the effect of religious affiliation, frequency of attendance, religious conversion, context of reception, and selective acculturation on each of the three measures of structural assimilation. Ethnic origin, gender, and age are implemented as control variables. Results provide evidence that religion does affect measures of structural assimilation. While impacts on occupational prestige and income seem minimal to non-existent, the effect of religion on educational attainment is more substantial. Religion indirectly …
Anchors Of Religious Commitment In Adolescence, Emily Gwilliam Layton
Anchors Of Religious Commitment In Adolescence, Emily Gwilliam Layton
Theses and Dissertations
This study explores adolescent religious commitment using qualitative data from a religiously diverse (Jewish, Christian, and Muslim) sample of 80 adolescents from California and New England. It identifies a new construct, "anchors of religious commitment," to describe what adolescents are committing to as a part of their religious identity. Seven anchors of religious commitment are discussed: (a) religious traditions, rituals, and laws; (b) God; (c) faith traditions or denominations; (d) faith community members; (e) parents; (f) scriptures or sacred texts; and (g) religious leaders. Various forms of expression are identified within each anchor of religious commitment, with issues of relationships …
Religion And Academic Achievement Among Adolescents, Benjamin Allen Mckune
Religion And Academic Achievement Among Adolescents, Benjamin Allen Mckune
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis examines the association between religiosity and academic achievement among adolescents. Recent research demonstrates a positive association between religiosity and academic success. However, some studies show that this is due to family and community factors; for example, variation in levels of family capital among religious affiliates may explain this association. Yet, whether religious factors affect academic achievement among adolescents may also be due to the concordance or discordance of religiosity among parents and their children. Using two years of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) (n=8,051), I examine the association between adolescent religiosity, parent …
Religion And The Everyday Ritual Of Home Life: A Comparison Of Higher And Lower Family Functioning Groups, Rachel Wadsworth Loser
Religion And The Everyday Ritual Of Home Life: A Comparison Of Higher And Lower Family Functioning Groups, Rachel Wadsworth Loser
Theses and Dissertations
As scholarly interest in family religiosity has grown, scholars have called for a closer look at proximal measures of religiosity that are more connected to the individual and familial daily experience (Mahoney et al., 1999). The purpose of this paper is to explore in detail how religion and family religious rituals relate to, interface with, and affect the day-to-day activity of family life. It includes qualitative analysis of interviews with highly religious parents and children in 67 families that belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Grounded theory was employed to analyze the data and a conceptual …
Alcohol Use And Religiosity Among College Students, Deena King
Alcohol Use And Religiosity Among College Students, Deena King
Theses and Dissertations
Alcohol use among college students is often in the news. Some scholars argue, with literature to support it, that problem drinking in college is just a media-driven myth (Lederman et al. 2004). Yet it is clear that college students do drink, some to excess. Various reasons are cited from alcohol availability to the "freedom" associated with this stage of life. However, very few researchers have attempted to determine whether religiosity affects alcohol use among college students. The purpose of this study was to further examine the combined issues of religiosity and alcohol use among college students. Is excessive use of …
Religion And Gender In Christian, Jewish, And Muslim Married Couples, Anna Mae Ridley
Religion And Gender In Christian, Jewish, And Muslim Married Couples, Anna Mae Ridley
Theses and Dissertations
This study explores the influence of religion on gender roles in marriage. Past research indicates that previous theories of marital power have ignored couples' own conceptualizations and have relied on taken for granted assumptions. Thirty-two religious couples (from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths) were interviewed regarding their gender roles. Grounded-theory qualitative analyses were conducted for couples' perceptions of religious influence on gender roles, the development of their gender practice, and their operationalization of marital power. Results are reported according to couples' discussion of role organization, role design, and outcomes. Valuing gender differences moderated religious impact on couples' role development and …
A Study Of Haitian Mormon Converts Dwelling In New York City: A Cross-Cultural Perspective In Understanding, Interpreting, And Experiencing The Mormon Subculture, Yvon Milien
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis examines the roles played by understanding, interpretation of practices, and experience in Mormon culture when Haitians convert to Mormonism. In relationship to their previous cultural practices, this thesis explores whether Haitian converts develop one of three types of behaviors: discard old practices, retain elements of old practices, or seek to establish a balance between former and new religious practices. In-depth interviews with twelve subjects living in New York City suggest that most active converts discarded their old cultural traditions. This study suggests that only interpretation influences developing types of behavior. However, it was not expected that most converts …
The Effects Of Religious Affiliation And Attendance On Illicit Sexual Behavior And Substance Abuse, Thomas W. Zane
The Effects Of Religious Affiliation And Attendance On Illicit Sexual Behavior And Substance Abuse, Thomas W. Zane
Theses and Dissertations
A sample of 7724 college students in Washington and Utah was selected to study the relationships of religious activity and religious affiliation to illicit sexual behaviors, use of marijuana, and getting drunk. For all religious affiliations (except for the Jews), there were significant correlations between church activity and the measured illicit behaviors. LDS rates of behavior were significantly lower at <.001 for the five illicit behaviors. Two factor analyses were calculated to determine which sexual behaviors would load on a single factor and which substances would load on another factor. Extramarital coitus, heavy petting, and passionate kissing formed the first "sexual" factor. The use of beer, liquor, and marijuana combined with the behavior getting drunk to form the "substance-abuse" factor. A canonical analysis reported a moderate relationship with a canonical coefficient of .534 between the two factors. A discriminant analysis based on each subjects' religious affiliation and activity level yielded a 70-80 percent correct classification percentage.
A Multi-Valued Attitudinal Study Of Obscenity And Freedom Of Expression, Allen W. Palmer
A Multi-Valued Attitudinal Study Of Obscenity And Freedom Of Expression, Allen W. Palmer
Theses and Dissertations
This study was designed to examine whether religiosity is a determining factor in public reaction to obscenity issues.
A sample population of 452 residents of the community of Idaho Falls, Idaho was selected using a technique based on a list of random numbers in October, 1979. Path analysis, Chi-square analysis and Spearman's correlation were used to measure the results.
The study found there is a significant relationship between religiosity and behavior intention toward obscenity issues. The affective component of the attitude organization functions somewhat as a mediating variable. There were also findings that members of the Church of Jesus Christ …
Origins And Development Of The Church Of The Firstborn Of The Fullness Of Times, Lyle O. Wright
Origins And Development Of The Church Of The Firstborn Of The Fullness Of Times, Lyle O. Wright
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this work is to present a history of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, including information relative to its origin that will lead to a better understanding of that history.