Twenge Jean M, Exline Julie J, Grubbs Joshua B, Sastry Ramya, Campbell W Keith
San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America.
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2015 May 11;10(5):e0121454. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121454. eCollection 2015.
In four large, nationally representative surveys (N = 11.2 million), American adolescents and emerging adults in the 2010s (Millennials) were significantly less religious than previous generations (Boomers, Generation X) at the same age. The data are from the Monitoring the Future studies of 12th graders (1976-2013), 8th and 10th graders (1991-2013), and the American Freshman survey of entering college students (1966-2014). Although the majority of adolescents and emerging adults are still religiously involved, twice as many 12th graders and college students, and 20%-40% more 8th and 10th graders, never attend religious services. Twice as many 12th graders and entering college students in the 2010s (vs. the 1960s-70s) give their religious affiliation as "none," as do 40%-50% more 8th and 10th graders. Recent birth cohorts report less approval of religious organizations, are less likely to say that religion is important in their lives, report being less spiritual, and spend less time praying or meditating. Thus, declines in religious orientation reach beyond affiliation to religious participation and religiosity, suggesting a movement toward secularism among a growing minority. The declines are larger among girls, Whites, lower-SES individuals, and in the Northeastern U.S., very small among Blacks, and non-existent among political conservatives. Religious affiliation is lower in years with more income inequality, higher median family income, higher materialism, more positive self-views, and lower social support. Overall, these results suggest that the lower religious orientation of Millennials is due to time period or generation, and not to age.
在四项具有全国代表性的大型调查（样本量N = 1120万）中，21世纪10年代的美国青少年和刚成年的年轻人（千禧一代）在相同年龄时的宗教信仰程度明显低于前几代人（婴儿潮一代、X一代）。数据来自对12年级学生（1976 - 2013年）、8年级和10年级学生（1991 - 2013年）的“未来监测”研究，以及对入学大学生的“美国新生”调查（1966 - 2014年）。尽管大多数青少年和刚成年的年轻人仍然参与宗教活动，但12年级学生和大学生中从不参加宗教仪式的人数是过去的两倍，8年级和10年级学生中从不参加宗教仪式的人数则多出20% - 40%。21世纪10年代（与20世纪60年代至70年代相比），12年级学生和入学大学生中表示自己“无宗教信仰”的人数是过去的两倍，8年级和10年级学生中这一比例则高出40% - 50%。最近出生的人群对宗教组织的认可度较低，不太可能认为宗教在他们的生活中很重要，自称精神层面较淡薄，且花在祈祷或冥想上的时间较少。因此，宗教倾向的下降不仅体现在宗教归属上，还涉及宗教参与和宗教虔诚度，这表明在日益壮大的少数群体中存在向世俗主义转变的趋势。女孩、白人、社会经济地位较低的个体以及美国东北部地区的下降幅度更大，黑人中的下降幅度非常小，而政治保守派中则不存在下降情况。在收入不平等加剧、家庭收入中位数较高、物质主义盛行、自我认知更积极以及社会支持较低的年份，宗教归属度较低。总体而言，这些结果表明千禧一代宗教倾向较低是由于时代或代际因素，而非年龄因素。
