Abstract

This investigation examined how intergenerational transmission of subjective religious intensity varies across historical periods, birth cohorts, and depends on emotional closeness and type of relationship between parents and children. Principles from the life course perspective specified how these various social factors moderate the strength of religious transmission.

Data derived from 8,341 dyads of parents and children from four generations participating in the Longitudinal Study of Generations between 1971 and 2016. Multilevel ordered logit regression indicated that parental transmission of religious intensity was weaker to baby-boom children compared to children in the previous cohort. Parental transmission was also stronger to children in biological/adoptive relationships compared to step-relationships, and in relationships that were emotionally closer compared to less emotionally close.

Demonstrating how intergenerational religious transmission is patterned by temporal and relational qualities sets the stage for future research on the reproduction of religiosity during a period of rapid religious and family change.