The influence of religious preferences on choice of church congregation and church attendance

Abstract

Rational Choice Theory has transformed the sociological study of religion. However, studies framed by Rational Choice Theory generally assume stable religious demand at the societal level, meaning the effects of individual religious preferences have received little attention. Using a sample of Christian college students from the United States, this article examines whether individual religious preferences are related to choice of congregation and frequency of church attendance. The results suggest that individual religious preferences are indeed related to these measures, meaning future studies might benefit from an increased emphasis on demand-side influences.