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Revisiting Risk: Sensation-Seeking and the Sex Difference in Religiosity

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posted on 2010-12-14, 00:00 authored by Daniel F Escher
Accounting for the sex difference in religiosity has centered recently on a problematic risk-management thesis. I concur that risk is indeed importantÌ¢‰âÂ'but primarily as a signal of an underlying semi-heritable trait called sensation-seeking. This trait directly contributes to, and is antecedent to, risk preference and assessment. Sensation-seekers take risks to gain new, varied, and novel experiences, which are often lacking in religious settings. Using direct measures from the 2006 Panel Study on American Religion and Ethnicity, I find that enjoying thrilling and frightening sensations and experiences has a direct negative effect on personal religiosity. Sensation-seeking also somewhat mediates the effect of biological sex on religiosity. These two effects provide plausible support for the partial-heritability thesis and demonstrate that biology and personality influence personal religiosity.

History

Date Modified

2017-06-02

Research Director(s)

Christian Smith

Committee Members

Kraig Beyerlein Jessica Collett

Degree

  • Master of Arts

Degree Level

  • Master's Thesis

Language

  • English

Alternate Identifier

etd-12142010-155652

Publisher

University of Notre Dame

Program Name

  • Sociology

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