Why Is Mississippi More Religious Than New Hampshire? Material Security and Ethnicity as Factors

Abstract

Cross-national research links decline in religiosity with improved living conditions due to economic development. These associations were examined in data from Gallup polls conducted in 50 U.S. states. Correlational analysis found that state religiosity (or importance attributed to religion) declined with economic development (state Human Development Index [HDI]). Positive correlates of religiosity included state hypertension levels (used as an index of psychological stress), Southern location, and the proportion of the population that was African American. Regression analysis found that the largest predictors of religiosity were HDI and African American population. The greater religiosity of states with more African American population was statistically explained in terms of stress (hypertension) and racism (Southern location). This is the first systematic study of state or ethnic variation in U.S. religiosity. Results provide further support for the existential security hypothesis of religious belief and support adaptive environmental explanations of societal variation in religiosity.