The Inductivist has already reported that younger people are more likely to accept evolution. But it is also true that
younger people are less Christian than older people. But does the trend hold within religious groups? That is, are younger people more open to evolution, or is that more secular people are more open to evolution and younger people are more secular? I decided to check Protestants and Catholics in the GSS broken down into three age brackets, 18-35, 36-50 and 51+ (the sample sizes are decent). I used the SCITEST4 variable, affirmative or not for "Humans evolved from animals." I also checked for those individuals in the sample who believe that "God Definitely Exists."
| Humans Evolved From Animals |
|
|
|
|
|
| 18-35 |
|
| Protestant | Catholic |
| Defintely True | 11.6 | 22.3 |
| Probably True | 30.8 | 42.5 |
| Probably Not True | 17.8 | 16.3 |
| Definitely Not True | 39.9 | 18.9 |
|
|
|
| 36-50 |
|
| Protestant | Catholic |
| Defintely True | 10.9 | 18.1 |
| Probably True | 28.5 | 44.3 |
| Probably Not True | 16.4 | 21.5 |
| Definitely Not True | 44.2 | 16.2 |
|
|
|
| 50> |
|
| Protestant | Catholic |
| Defintely True | 8.9 | 12.6 |
| Probably True | 23.5 | 37.3 |
| Probably Not True | 15.7 | 19.7 |
| Definitely Not True | 52 | 30.4 |
|
|
|
| All Who Say God Definitely Exists, Opinions on Evolution |
|
| 18-35 |
|
| Defintely True | 12.3 |
|
| Probably True | 28.2 |
|
| Probably Not True | 17.3 |
|
| Definitely Not True | 42.2 |
|
|
|
|
| 36-50 |
|
| Defintely True | 8.2 |
|
| Probably True | 27.5 |
|
| Probably Not True | 17.8 |
|
| Definitely Not True | 46.5 |
|
|
|
|
| 50> |
|
| Defintely True | 7 |
|
| Probably True | 20.4 |
|
| Probably Not True | 15.4 |
|
| Definitely Not True | 57.2 |
|
I looks like there's some foundation to optimism here....
Labels: Religion
